Kenya eligible defender Bartley Okello signs Nottingham Forest scholarship deal
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Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 19.07.26. | 13:22
The 17-year-old center back earned the deal after years of steady progress through the club's academy, where he has been developing since joining in August 2018
Kenya-eligible defender Bartley Okello has taken a major step towards professional football after signing a two-year scholarship with Premier League side Nottingham Forest.
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The 17-year-old center back earned the deal after years of steady progress through the club's academy, where he has been developing since joining in August 2018.
The scholarship will see him become part of Nottingham Forest's Under-18 squad for the 2026/27 season.
Standing at 1.88 meters, the English-born defender has impressed coaches with his composure on the ball, positional awareness, and commanding presence in defense.
His consistent performances throughout the academy ranks have now been rewarded with an opportunity to continue his development on the pathway to senior football.
In the English football system, scholarship deals are a key stage in a player's development, allowing young talents to combine their education with full-time football training as they work towards earning professional contracts.
Okello becomes the third Kenya-eligible youngster to secure a scholarship at a Premier League club this month, following Rodney Aduda's deal at Everton and Emmanuel Ziro's scholarship with Manchester United.
Nottingham Forest Head of Academy Chris McGuane believes the latest group of scholars have the talent to make the step into professional football.
"We have an outstanding environment for young players to develop both on and off the pitch and a clear pathway that gives them a genuine opportunity to progress towards professional football. We're excited by the quality and potential within this group and look forward to supporting them as they continue to grow, not only as players but as people," said McGuane.
The scholarship caps eight years of development at Nottingham Forest, where Okello has steadily climbed through the academy age groups while earning praise for his maturity and consistency at the heart of defense.
His latest achievement further underlines the growing number of players with Kenyan roots progressing through elite English academies, offering another encouraging sign for the future of Kenyan football.
