Talented Ugandan forward Derrick Kakooza is on the verge of ending his lengthy spell without a club, as he is set to join Latvian Premier League outfit FK Liepāja, The Nerve Africa has exclusively learned.
Kakooza’s last team was Ethiopia’s top-flight side Bunna, which he left in January this year after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract. He has since been a free agent, despite interest in May from Uganda Premier League side Kitara FC and Egypt’s Cleopatra Ceramica.
However, his representing agency, ABP Sports Management Uganda, has recently held concrete negotiations with Liepāja, eventually reaching an agreement earlier on Thursday.
A source close to ABP Sports Management Uganda confirmed the developments, stating that Kakooza will sign a relatively short-term two-year contract with Liepāja.
“It’s been a long and frustrating time for us, especially for Derrick, sitting out without competitive action. But the fact that Liepāja, a top club in Latvia, has offered him two years shows the trust they have in his potential. I won’t delve into the contractual details, but we’re almost there—it’s just a matter of time,” the source told The Nerve Africa in an exclusive interview.
The 22-year-old is scheduled to depart for Latvia on Saturday to undergo medical tests before eventually signing the contract. He’ll be returning to the country where he played in 2022 with Valmiera FC. He has also previously played for ENPPI in Egypt and Police FC in Uganda.
Kakooza has earned four caps for the Uganda National Senior Team, the Cranes, scoring one goal. He was also the top scorer at the 2020 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Mauritania with six goals, as Uganda reached the final but lost 2-0 to Ghana.
