Former Gor Mahia striker Nicholas Kipkirui shunned interest from Football Kenya Federation Premier League sides Tusker, Ulinzi Stars and KCB for a promising offer from Nairobi City Stars.
Kipkirui joined Nairobi City Stars as a free agent but a source close to the player has revealed to Goal that three Premier League clubs and another unnamed foreign side engaged in a fight to sign the centre-forward.
"It took so much time before Kipkirui made his mind up and accepted the offer from his new club [Nairobi City Stars] because there were so many clubs that were interested with him," the source told Goal .
"Just when it was clear Kipkirui was leaving Gor Mahia, many clubs and agents knocked on his door all promising enticing offers and that is one the reasons that delayed his decision of announcing his next move.
"He would have easily joined Ulinzi Stars before the Tusker offer came but when he was approached by Nairobi City Stars, he decided to shelve the interest from all the other sides given the attraction, promise and manner of approach made by the Kawangware club."
Indeed, when Nairobi City Stars confirmed his arrival, the club's Chief Executive Officer detailed how they pursued Kipkirui's signature.
"We were in search of a polished striker during the last transfer window. Having missed our targets locally, we went shopping in Uganda," Korir explained .
"Kipkirui then came to us at a time he had issued a notice of termination of the contract to his former club.
"We then entered a pre-agreement on the premise that, if his situation was not remedied within the term of the notice, we’d then sign him at the point he became a free agent.
"We registered that pre-agreement with the federation before the closure of the transfer window in accordance with Fifa regulations hence his eventual signing immediately after he gained his free-agent status."
Kipkirui also confirmed the interest from many other clubs but he did not reveal them.
"I had several offers from teams within and outside Kenya but it is Simba wa Nairobi that appealed to me the most," revealed the striker.
"Nairobi City Stars are one of the best-managed clubs in East Africa and I am looking forward to helping the team by assisting and scoring many goals, and most importantly winning titles."
Kipkirui made his name at Zoo FC before he was signed by the Green Army with whom he won three league titles and a KPL Super Cup during the three-year stay.
