Okello: Ugandan striker reveals jersey number he would love at Gor Mahia

Gor Mahia new signing Tito Okello has revealed he would like to be assigned jersey number nine at his new team.

The Ugandan signed for the Kenyan champions as a free agent from Ugandan Premier League (UPL) champions Vipers SC after agreeing to pen a two-year contract.

The attacker's contract with the Venoms expired, and the player jumped at the chance to play for the Kenyan Premier League ( KPL ) champions.

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In his interview with the club's media team, the lanky striker explained why he prefers to wear the number nine jersey.

"When I wear number nine, I form an inexplicable friendship with the net. Things just work out for me on the pitch," the striker said as quoted by the Gor Mahia website.

"I know as a footballer, you wear the shirt you are assigned and I will be comfortable in whatever number I will be given but number nine ticks all boxes for me."

The former Venom has further revealed how he fell in love with the number.

"I was lucky to participate in the Fufa Drum tournament [a tournament promoting cultural heritage in Uganda ] and whenever I wore number nine, I found myself scoring goals that ordinarily I would not score," the striker added.

Former striker Jacques Tuyisenge was the last player to wear number nine jersey at Gor Mahia and ended up scoring 50 goals over the three seasons he was with the KPL giants.

Despite playing a vital role in helping Vipers win the Ugandan Premier League, there have been internal struggles in the team which has led to a mass exodus.

Goalkeeper Derrick Ochan also left the Premier League champions despite the fact he had two years remaining on his contract and went on to join Police FC.

For Gor Mahia, they have already lost Boniface Omondi to Wazito FC. The established forward has been consistent for K'Ogalo, but opted out owing to financial struggles in the team.

The Kenyan champions have been hit hard in this transfer window as they have already lost a number of top players among them defender Joash Onyango, who signed for Simba of Tanzania, goalkeeper David Mapigano who joined Azam FC, and Dickson Ambundo, who joined Dodoma Jiji.

On top of that, the club is on the verge of losing more players, among them striker Nicholas Kipkirui, captain Kenneth Muguna, defenders Philemon Otieno and Charles Momanyi, and Jackson Owusu, who left to his native Ghana a week ago.

All this is happening as the club prepares for the new season where, apart from aiming to retain the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title, they will also represent the country in the Caf Champions League.