David Ochieng': Experienced defender close to joining Mathare United

Mathare United are negotiating with experienced defender David Ochieng' with the intention of signing him ahead of the new season.

The 28-year-old has been a free agent after his contract with Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ansar FC expired. The Slum Boys are strengthening ahead of the new season and have opted to engage the experienced defender hoping they will reach an agreement.

"We are still in talks with him but we have not yet concluded," Mathare United head coach Salim Ali told Goal on Monday.

"[Ochieng'] is an experienced player who can help improve our defence but I do not want to say much since we have not yet signed him."

The central defender is expected to come in as a replacement for Andrew Juma who left the 2008 league champions for Gor Mahia in a two-year deal. 

Ochieng' started his professional career way back in 2011 with the National Super League side Nairobi Stima. A year later, he joined Tusker FC and was part of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title-winning team. He also won the KPL Super Cup.

The defender then left for Saud Arabia where he signed with Al Tawoon FC from 2013 to 2015. He was among the key players at the team and went on to make 51 appearances, scoring one goal in the process.

American outfit New York Cosmos was interested in the 28-year-old's services and they signed him in 2016 but the defender left again a year later. At the time, he had played a total of 29 matches and scored one goal.

The next calling was in Sweden for Idrottsföreningen Brommapojkarna in 2018. It was a short term contract for the player and he played 13 times for them before he made a return to Kenya, signing a six-month contract with AFC Leopards in 2019.

After that, he left for Al-Ansar where he was plying trade before his contract expired.

Mathare have not yet resumed training in preparation for the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League campaign. However, they are set to resume on Tuesday.