West Ham appear to be sorting out the final details of the Angelo Ogbonna transfer which is set to be announced in the coming days, although with West Ham’s media team we may well be waiting a while yet.
To many, Ogbonna is an unknown quantity and already people seem to be questioning whether or not he is capable of starting for us next season and in seasons to come.
Ogbonna made his debut for Torino in 2006 aged 18 after spending four years in Torino’s ‘Giovanissimi’. After seven years, 147 games, one goal and a loan spell at Crotone in the 2006/07 season, the 6ft 3in centre back who has represented Italy at U21 and senior level, went across the city of Turin to local rivals Juventus.
He is well known for his physicality and hands-on approach to defending. He can and has played at left back on occasions and has shown in the Serie A that he has good pace, technique and ball skills.
Being a centre back under Antonio Conte, who was the Juventus manager when Ogbonna signed for the ‘Bianconeri,’ Ogbonna has managed to adapt to being a ball-playing defender with great vision and distribution. This will enable him to play out from the back which is something that West Ham fans will be glad to hear.
Ogbonna has European and International experience with Juventus and Italy respectively and that will only benefit West Ham especially with our return to Europe this season.
Our defence was diabolical at times towards the end of last season and I firmly believe that we do need another centre back and Ogbonna definitely fits the bill.
He is more than capable of playing in the first team and it will be sad to possibly see Tomkins not playing as he loves the club but we should be aiming to progress and signing players with the experience of Ogbonna can only have a positive impact on our squad. Further additions are necessary to improve the squad as at the moment I don’t think we are quite strong enough but this imminent signing is clearly a step in the right direction.
