According to The Sun, West Ham have signed Kara Mbodj from Belgian side Genk for a fee of £4 million. He is a defensive midfielder who can also play in the centre of defence. The Hammers were chasing him in the January transfer window and are believed to have beaten Everton and Leicester City to his signature.
At just 25 years old, Mbodj is already an experienced international having represented Senegal in the 2012 Olympic games before featuring for them in the 2015 African Cup of Nations where he scored in a 1-1 draw with South Africa.
Standing at 6 ft 3 inches, his physical presence in the centre of the park will make him an ideal fit in the Premier League. His adaptability will also be vital for West Ham in what promises to be a long season if the club progress in the Europa League.
The Hammers have clearly been buoyed by the success of Cheikou Kouyate at the club and adding a fellow Belgian league player and international teammate is only good news for the club. If they both feature in midfield together for West Ham, it’s fair to suggest that the midfield will have bags of energy and power.
When comparing both Mbodj and Kouyate, they appear to be quite similar players. They are both extremely good in the air, very physical and like to carry the ball through midfield. The only difference is that Mbodj looks like he has a shot on him, as his goal against Anderlecht (below) suggests.
This is a very shrewd signing from West Ham as they have added another talented midfielder to the squad for a nominal fee. Hopefully there will be an official announcement from the club regarding the signing in the near future.
Its all happening since fatso went?..