AFC Leopards sign replacement for Gor Mahia-bound goalkeeper
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Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 04.07.26. | 17:38
The Turkana-born goalkeeper first caught the eye while playing in his home county before earning a place at St. Anthony's Boys High School, Kitale, where he announced himself on the national stage
With first choice custodian Humphrey Katasi rumoured to be on his way to arch rivals Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards have completed the signing of goalkeeper Issa Emuria, Mozzart Sport can exclusively reveal.
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The highly-rated shot-stopper joins Ingwe from Bidco United after agreeing to a two-year deal, bringing to an end weeks of speculation surrounding his future.
Emuria had attracted strong interest from newly promoted FKF Premier League sides 3K FC and Mombasa United, but the former Ulinzi Stars goalkeeper has opted to continue his career at the Den.
His arrival comes after Leopards also secured the services of Sebastian Wekesa from Kariobangi Sharks, with the duo expected to fill the void left by the imminent departures of Humphrey Katasi and James Ssetuba.
Emuria's rise to the top flight has been one of resilience and steady progression.
The Turkana-born goalkeeper first caught the eye while playing in his home county before earning a place at St. Anthony's Boys High School, Kitale, where he announced himself on the national stage.
His breakthrough came in 2018 during the Copa Coca-Cola National Secondary Schools Championship in Eldoret.
He produced a heroic display in the final against St. Peter's Mumias, saving three penalties in a 3-1 shootout victory to hand St. Anthony's the national title.
Later that year, he enhanced his growing reputation after being named Best Goalkeeper at the AFCON Copa Coca-Cola U-16 tournament in Nakuru.
The accolade earned him national recognition and saw him become the first player from the Turkana community to represent Kenya at the junior national team level, an achievement that was recognised by then Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok.
After leaving school football, Emuria continued his development with Mombasa Elite, Rainbow FC and Hillside before earning a move to Ulinzi Stars.
His consistent displays also earned him national youth team recognition, including a place in the country's provisional U20 squad for the Four-Nation Tournament in Malawi in 2024.
The goalkeeper later switched to Bidco United, where he quickly established himself as the club's first-choice goalkeeper.
In his debut FKF Premier League season, the netminder impressed with a string of commanding performances, clean sheets and Man of the Match awards that placed him among the division's standout goalkeepers.
At one stage of the campaign, he shared the lead in the Golden Glove race after keeping seven clean sheets, with his performances attracting interest from several Premier League clubs before Ingwe won the race for his signature.
A key figure in Emuria's development has been goalkeeping coach Sam Koko, whom the goalkeeper has often credited for raising his standards.
He has previously revealed that Koko's demanding training sessions only became tougher after every clean sheet and intensified whenever the team conceded, a mentality he believes has played a major role in shaping him into one of the country's most promising goalkeepers.