Sports

For the first time the East African region will have a player playing in the popular English Premiership League after Gael Bigirimana signed a five-year contract after passing a medical at St. James’ Park on Friday.

Bigirimana, an attacking midfielder, has been playing for England’s Championship club Coventry City has reiterated his desire to play for Amavubi, although he was born in Burundi to a Rwandan father and Burundian mother and moved to United Kingdom as a refugee in 2004.

Bigirimana told this paper in April that he was also interested in playing for Amavubi after snubbed calls from the Burundi F.A to play for Intamba ku Rugamba.

“Although I have played for England youth teams, I can’t say that would give me the chance to play for the Three Lions. I want to play for Rwanda.

“Burundi has expressed interest in me but I have turned down their offers. All I want is to play for Rwanda,” the 18-year old Bigirimana said at the time.

Junior Wasps coach Richard Tardy, who was appointed the National Technical Director on Thursday talked to the young midfielder in May his year but the player requested for time to think about the proposal.

Bigirimana made his professional debut on August 8, 2011, in a 1-0 Championship loss to Leicester City playing the full 90 minutes.

On March 12, he won the Championship’s Apprentice of the Year Award for the 2011/12 season. He is reportedly to have cost the Magpies 1m Pounds.

Contact email: ostine.arinaitwe[at]newtimes.co.rw