Official: SC Paderborn sign Kennedy Okpala

Okpala will link up with his new teammates at Bielefeld ahead of the 2.Bundesliga’s January return.

SC Paderborn have signed attacking midfielder Kennedy Okpala who put pen to paper on a long-term contract with the 2.Bundesliga side.

As the club from East Westphalia announced on Friday, the 21-year-old joins Paderborn from third-division side Waldhof Mannheim.

Okpala, who registered seven goals and five assists in 18 games for Mannheim in the first half of the season, is highly rated by Paderborn.

“[Okpala is] enormously capable of development. He is fast, two-footed and versatile in attack.

“He is therefore an excellent fit for Paderborn’s approach,” said the club’s sporting director Sebastian Lange.

The deal for Okpala was already confirmed by Sky Germany in mid-December, with Paderborn paying the forward’s €550,000 release clause.