Goal scorers are difficult to come by and difficult to keep. That’s why Leyton Orient are joining the race for Grimsby Town’s Jaze Kabia, who appears to be hot property this summer. The striker made the step up from the National League South, returning 18 goals to spearhead the Mariners’ promotion push in League Two.
Last week, reports emerged that Stoke City are firmly interested in the 25-year-old, viewing the Irishman as a potential ‘bargain’ pick-up from the lower divisions. Now, it appears they will have to face competition from Oxford United and Leyton Orient.
Emerging from Pete O’Rourke via a post on X, the League One duo have joined the race for Jaze Kabia.
Stoke City, Oxford United, and Leyton Orient Lock Horns for Kabia
It is no surprise to see vast interest in the forward this summer. Making the step up from Truro City, his debut season in the EFL was simply stunning and had every hallmark of a striker on his way up.
With 18 in League Two and 24 in all competitions, Kabia’s returns were vital in Grimsby Town’s play-off finish.
Operating across various positions in the frontline – particularly after Andy Cook’s January arrival – the variety of goals scored shows that he has every attribute required in a lower-league striker.
Able to play on the shoulder, he has a quick burst of pace when played in behind, and often the killer instinct to match. Although he is not your typical nippy striker in a front two, as six of his goals came from set-piece situations, showing that he has the necessary instinct in both open play and dead-ball scenarios.
While Stoke is a huge upgrade given the Staffordshire club’s second-tier status, Orient and Oxford could provide quicker routes to first-team football.
East London has shown to be a great place for strikers over the years, as Brisbane Road has played home to the likes of Charlie Kelman and Dom Ballard, League One’s previous two Golden Boot winners. With an exit highly likely for Ballard, this move would make complete sense.
Meanwhile, newly-relegated Oxford United are in dire need of a rebuild if they are to make an immediate return to the second tier. The Kassam is a great place to progress your career, while the prospect of another promotion challenge could be appealing to the Irishman.
How Much Would Grimsby Town Miss Jaze Kabia
While losing a goalscorer would be difficult for any club to take, the interest gathering around Kabia is a testament to Grimsby Town’s recruitment model.
The North East Lincolnshire club has been partnered with Jamestown Analytics for nearly two years now, and Blundell Park has since emerged as one of the best places in the EFL for up-and-coming talents to come and develop.
Under David Artell’s lead, this has been seen with the likes of Reece Staunton, Kieran Green, and Géza Dávid Turi, who have all come on leaps and bounds for the club.
So while they would prefer to keep Kabia, the potentially huge fee tied in with the club’s forward-thinking recruitment model would keep confidence high going into the 2026-27 season.
