Harambee Stars' defender Joseph Okumu has justified his presence at Swedish top tier outfit IF Elfsborg after the club voted him the emerging star of the season.
Elfsborg confirmed the development through a statement mounted on their website on Sunday. Okumu was feted alongside Linn Sanberg who features for the club in the women's league.
"Joseph Okumu and Linn Sanberg have been presented as this year's breakthrough in IF Elfsborg 2020," read the statement.
Okumu, who is currently on holiday in the country, said he was elated with the accolade and exuded confidence about his furure at the side.
"It's an honour to have been recognised and awarded the breakthrough player of the 2020 season," said Okumu.
The Kakamega High School alumnus joined Elfsborg in 2019 and has been instrumental in their title charge this season, putting up impressive shows in all the matches he has been involved. Elfsborg have booked a slot in next season's Europa league.
Elfsborg have spent most of their history in the top tier of Swedish football. Their home ground is in Boras Arena, where they have played since April 17, 2005. The club was founded in 1904 by a group of 19 youngsters aged between 14 and 15 years old.
Prior to linking up with the side, Okumu featured for Chemelil Sugar in the Kenyan Premier League before turning professional for Real Monarchs in the USA and later Free State Stars in South Africa and AFC Ann Arbor, where he made 8 league appearances in the 2018 season.
The 23-year-old's curve has been on a steady rise as he continues to consolidate his position in the starting line up of the national team. Okumu was part of the squad that represented Kenya in the 2019 African Cup of Nations in Egypt.
His feat comes only a couple of days after another Kenyan international Michael Olunga bagged the Golden Boot Award after topping the scorers chart in the Japan top tier. Olunga netted 28 times in 34 league matches for Keshiwa Reysol.
Olunga joined Japanese club Kashiwa on August 10, 2018. On November 24, 2019, he scored eight goals for Kashiwa in their 13–1 thrashing of Kyoto Sanga. He went on to wrap up the season with 27 goals as Kashiwa finished at the summit of the J2 season, subsequently earning promotion to the first division
On July 26, 2020, Olunga scored a hat-trick in their J1 league encounter against Vegalta Sendai in a match that ended in a 5–1 victory.
