With Slaven Bilic appointed as West Ham’s new manager last Tuesday, the Hammers wasted little time in adding to their squad, signing Sampdoria midfielder Pedro Obiang for an undisclosed fee just a day after the Croatian took over the Upton Park hot seat.
Speaking about his move to the east London club, the Spain under-21 explained why he chose to join the Hammers:
“I have very big ambitions with this club. This club is experiencing very exciting times, a new manager and big projects. That’s why I came here. Hopefully we can get through the qualifying rounds of the Europa League, finish the league in the top eight and show that we are a team that can compete against the biggest teams….I’m a very hard-working player. I like to play good football and give 100 per cent for my team. I like the occasional dribble and to create chances. I’ll try to adapt as quickly as possible.”
THE HISTORY
Obiang began his youth career with the Cadete team of Atletico Madrid, after catching their attention playing for local sides in the city. He left Atletico aged 16 and joined Italian side Sampdoria, initially featuring for their youth team during the 2008/09 season. The midfielder spent the following year with the senior youth team before making his professional debut in a 3-3 draw against Juventus in September 2010 following an injury crisis, having signed a five-year contract prior to the match.
Sampdoria were relegated to Serie B in 2011, handing Obiang the chance to stake a claim for a regular starting role. The Hammers’ new boy made 33 league appearances as they went on to secure promotion back to the top flight via the play-offs. The Spaniard had now established himself as a key player, making 34 league appearances during the 2013/13 season and helping i Blucerchiati to a 14th place finish. His form had attracted attention from some of Europe’s top clubs, with Chelsea and Tottenham reportedly among those showing interest.
A hernia injury meant he would only feature 27 times the following season, but Obiang was back to his best during the last campaign, making 34 appearances as Sampdoria finished seventh in Serie A. The tough-tackling midfielder has featured twice for the Spain Under 21 side, having made his debut in February 2013, but has yet to make the step up to senior level.
THE PROSPECTS
With Obiang able to fulfil different roles in midfield, West Ham look to have filled the void left by Alex Song, who has returned to his parent club Barcelona after spending last season on loan at Upton Park. Following Obiang’s arrival, Joint-Chairman David Sullivan spoke of his excitement over their latest addition:
“He is a top player. He is an athlete and played every game for Sampdoria last season. He is a box-to-box player who can operate in a number of positions. He has played for Spain’s Under-21 side and you don’t play for them unless you are a good player. He is a fantastic footballer and will keep possession of the ball and tackle. He has got many qualities that will be admired by the West Ham supporters. We hope that if we can improve him a little bit we could have a real superstar.”
Obiang’s primary strength is his tackling, having averaged 3.1 successful tackles per match last season. That compares favourably to the likes of Song (2.6), Mark Noble (1.9) and Cheikhou Kouyate (1.8) last season, while Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic, for example, only averaged 2.8 successful tackles per 90 minutes. That could certainly benefit Obiang’s worth in the Sky game, which rewards tackling through bonus points, although his combative displays can incur the referee’s wrath, having picked up 12 yellow cards last season.
Sullivan’s reference to Obiang being a ‘box-to-box player’ would indicate he may offer a threat going forward, although the midfielder has only scored four goals over the last three seasons. With Bilic expected to favour a 4-3-2-1 or 4-4-2 system, though, the Spaniard is likely to feature in the double-pivot in midfield. If handed a regular role, his arrival suggests he looks set to partner Noble or Kouyate in the engine room and mainly stick to defensive duties.
With a price of 5.0 or 5.5 expected in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), Obiang is unlikely to warrant much investment given his goal scoring record in Italy. It is worth noting, however, that Sampdoria kept 11 clean sheets last season, perhaps in part due to the protection offered by Obiang in midfield – a factor that could certainly boost the prospects of the likes of Aaron Cresswell and Adrian at the back as we head into the new season.
Certainly, those attributes will quickly be put to the test, with the Hammers travelling to Arsenal, Liverpool and City in the opening seven Gameweeks. On the plus side, Bilic’s men are handed four home matches during that period (LEI, BOU, NEW, NOR) which could help ensure Obiang’s transition to the English top-flight is a smooth one.
