Francis Baraza, head coach of Kenya Police FC, claims he is assembling a championship-calibre roster and will bolster it with at least three seasoned players during the midseason transfer window.
An accomplished goalkeeper, a striker who can steal goals, and a defender are the three positions that Baraza has identified as needing to be filled.
Derrick Otanga, a free-agent striker contacted by Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, is already virtually fully acquired by the team.
Faruk Shikhalo, a former Bandari goalkeeper who is now back in his country after living in Tanzania, and Patrick Matasi, a longtime team target, had been juggled.
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According to sources, the team is reportedly close to signing Matasi, whose contract with Tusker, where he is a 34-year-old goalkeeper, is about to expire.
"Our leading scorer, Rupia (Elvis), needs some assistance, so I'm looking for that person. I'm also seeking for a goalie to provide Job with some competition (Ochieng)".
"I'm searching for someone to help Musa (Mohamed) and Shakava (Haron), who have performed admirably thus far, in defense as well. We can have a dependable person in the event of an accident or suspension," Baraza added.
Since the beginning of the year, Matasi has been a target for the Police. At one point, he attempted to force a transfer by staging a strike, but the club refrained.
The Kenyan international, who will begin Police training immediately, has an easier path because he has less than four months left on his contract.
Aboud Omar, a former Kenyan international, has also been hired by the Police as a left-back to compete with David Owino.
"Aboud is a skilled player with some skills we needed to improve. He will offer depth to the team, which is crucial for a team competing for the championship", Baraza continued.
Police are presently in sixth place with 28 points, nine points behind Gor Mahia, who are first and have played one more match.
In their most recent game, they defeated the league's top team; now, they take on the Kariobangi Sharks to bounce back and move up the standings.
"The race for the championship is still open to us. The team was struggling when I joined, but we are currently ahead of our competitors", Baraza bragged.
