We’ve been following a host of young Kenyan lions in their exploits abroad. Belgium seems to be the epicentre of Harambee Stars’ activity in Europe in recent weeks, but we were pretty close of switching our focus on Serbia. The legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon told the Italian media that Crvena zvezda (also known as Red Star Belgrade) was one of the clubs his client was close to signing last month.📸 istanti di una serata emozionante. Grazie Parma! 🟡🔵 pic.twitter.com/m3blGR6ZO6— Gianluigi Buffon (@gianluigibuffon) June 23, 2021 Had the deal gone through, the 1991 Champions League winners would have gotten themselves one of the best goalkeepers ever to have played the game, and the 20-year-old Richard Odada would have gotten a high-profile teammate to share the dressing room.Agent Silvano Martina was taken by surprise to see more than a couple of offers come in for the 43-year-old former Italy international, but in the end, it was his first club Parma that won the race.”The idea of a Parma return was born about a fortnight ago. Considering his age, I had a lot of requests – from six or seven clubs. There were also three offers from Brazilian clubs that Gianluigi couldn’t accept because it would require him to move his entire family to another continent. Before signing for Parma, I’ve had a call from Red Star Belgrade. But the next time I saw Buffon, he told me that, passing through the town of Parma, he felt a strong emotion, and that was the team he wanted to return to. it was a romantic speech, of memories.”Superman returns home: Buffon officially in ParmaIt was nice to see a legendary player returning to the club where it all began for him, especially if it means dropping down to second division to do so. Still, we cannot help but wonder what it would be like to watch a Juventus legend and the 2006 World Cup winner wearing the same colours as a boy from Nairobi.The extraordinary rise of Richard Odada: From trial at Inter to a debut for Red StarTalking about Richard, he accepted to go out on a season-long loan to FK Metalac, a team in central Serbia that’s renowned for fielding youngsters with no hesitation. That move seems like a good move for the former AFC Leopards midfielder who looks set to get more playing time and test himself regularly against seasoned Serbian Superliga players.Kenyan boy and the Italian superstar? Well, maybe next season.
