Kenyan striker Olunga set to return to Chinese club

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Kenyan striker Michael Olunga will return to his Chinese club Guizhou Zhicheng after his loan spell with Spain's Girona expires on June 30.

However, the 24-year-old Olunga will remain ineligible to play for Guizhou as the club still has more than five foreign players.

Olunga spent last season on loan at Girona after being relegated to Guizhou's reserve team as clubs tried to comply with the newly introduced Chinese Super League (CSL) foreign quota rule of a maximum of five foreigners in a team.

Michael Olunga is eyeing an English Premier League contract. /VCG Photo

Meanwhile, Olunga believes his long-term future will be away from China as he is said to be on the brink of signing a permanent contract with an English Premier League side during the current transfer window.

Coach Dylan Kerr, who was instrumental in securing Olunga his transfer to the Chinese league, said on Saturday he is finalizing plans for the striker to move to England, but refused to provide more details.

"I tried to sign Olunga two times but he went overseas. He has made his mark on the European market with the one year spell in Spain. But he is now leaving Girona. His advisors have called me asking if he can go to England," said Kerr in Nairobi.

Olunga, currently in Kenya on holiday, has not traveled with the Kenya national soccer team, Harambee Stars, to Mumbai for the Hero Intercontinental Cup tournament.

(With input from Xinhua)