Mohammed Bajaber on How He Trialed at Midtjylland With Ivorian AFCON 2023 Winner Now Wanted By Arsenal

Harambee Stars winger Mohammed Bajaber has opened up about a pivotal moment in his early career — a three-week trial with Danish giants FC Midtjylland in 2021 — that exposed him to the brutal realities of professional football in Europe.

Bajaber has carved a place for himself and is now expected to play a key role in Kenya’s squad for the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN), which the country will co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania in August.

However, his rise to prominence has been a classic case of perseverance, including his Denmark experience.

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Then just a teenager, Bajaber was a rising star at Star Field Elite Academy, founded by his mentor and former physical education teacher Veer Dave, who first spotted his talent while he was in high school. 

The opportunity to train with one of Denmark’s top-tier clubs was meant to be the big break the young winger needed — but it turned out to be a sobering experience.

“I joined Midtjylland on a three-week trial, but I was not ready,” Bajaber admitted to Tiki Taka Show in a recent interview.

“Age-wise, IQ-wise, and physically, I simply was not ready.”

During the trial, Bajaber was one of nearly ten hopefuls from Africa seeking a contract. Among them was a young Ivorian defender named Ousmane Diomande, who would go on to become one of the biggest breakout stars from that group.

“I even trialled with Ousmane Diomande. He is now at Sporting Lisbon and is a deadly center back,” Bajaber said.

“He was the only one who succeeded. The other eight or nine of us went home. They signed him, and within six months, he joined Sporting Lisbon for €10 million. Now I see teams like Arsenal wanting him and I wish, ‘Damn! I wish that would have been me!’”

While Diomande’s trajectory took him to the top levels of European football — now linked with Premier League giants — Bajaber returned home nursing an injury and nursing even bigger lessons. 

He continued training at Star Field before eventually securing a move to Nairobi City Stars in February 2022.

His early days at City Stars weren’t easy. He nearly never even made the cut as a City Stars player while he was trialing for them before the start of the delayed 2022/2023 season.

Meant to replace Timothy ‘Babu’ Ouma, who had just signed for Swedish outfit IF Elfsborg, Bajaber found the going rough, with many even thinking he had earned a spot in the side due to his fortunes, but perseverance, as well as belief from former coach Nicholas Muyoti helped launch his career.

“The technical bench did not trust me much at all apart from the head coach Nicholas Muyoti. They used to laugh at me if I made mistakes. 

“One of the assistant coaches sarcastically asked, ‘Are you the one supposed to replace Babu (Timothy Noor Ouma)?’ and I said ‘Yes’ — and he burst out laughing.”

Despite the early doubts, Bajaber eventually went on to be a key figure for City Stars during his two-year spell with the Simba Wa Nairobi, before sealing a move to Kenya Police in February 2024, a club he went on to help win the League for the first time in their history.

Mohammed Bajaber’s story is one of resilience, growth, and unshaken belief. While his trial in Denmark didn’t lead to an immediate breakthrough, the experience continues to fuel his ambition as he looks to make a mark for both club and country.