Despite concrete interest from Tanzania and Egypt, six-time Uganda Premier League champions Vipers SC have dismissed any possibility of letting go of their star playmaker Allan Okello, The Nerve Africa sources have exclusively learned.
The Ugandan international, who is arguably the best player in the country at the moment, has been the subject of interest from Tanzanian giants Simba SC and Egyptian Premier League outfit Pyramids FC, with both clubs reportedly ready to table offers for a January move.
However, Vipers have ruled out any possibility of Okello leaving St. Mary’s Stadium in the forthcoming window. The club views the 24-year-old as their biggest weapon in their pursuit of the 2024/25 Uganda Premier League championship and the Uganda Cup. It should be noted that Okello still has one and a half years left on his contract before it expires.
A senior source at Vipers disclosed that the club has no plans to engage in any business involving Okello during this window, viewing him as unsellable in January. However, the source indicated that they could consider offers in the summer if they match the club’s valuation of the player.
“It’s no longer a secret that Simba and Pyramids are admirers, but that’s where it’ll stop for this window. Okello is not for sale mid-season, and it’s non-negotiable with any team. What we have right now is the best player in Uganda, and we want him to lead the chase for the available titles this season. Any slim chances of negotiating with anyone about Allan (Okello) lie at the end of the season, but that will also be on the terms of our valuation,” the source told The Nerve Africa in an exclusive interview.
Okello has been in blistering form this season for Vipers, leading the top-scorers’ charts in the Uganda Premier League with 10 goals in 13 games. The former FUFA Player of the Year (2019) has also scored two goals in the Super 8 tournament this season.
Last season, the midfielder, whose TransferMarkt valuation is estimated at €250,000, netted five goals and provided six assists in 25 matches. He has previously featured for KCCA FC and Algerian top-tier side Paradou AC.
At the international level, Okello, whose debut with the Uganda National Senior Team came in 2019, has made 21 competitive appearances, scoring three goals and providing seven assists. He was instrumental in Uganda’s qualification for the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, contributing three assists in six qualification matches.
