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West Ham signing this rock-solid 27-year-old star would get them a perfect Ogbonna successor

Why West Ham must go all out to sign Omar Colley from Sampdoria

According to respected Italian football journalist Nicolo Schira, West Ham and Newcastle United scouts were in attendance to watch Omar Colley during the clash between AC Milan and Sampdoria.

Omar Colley, 27, has become a regular in Sampdoria’s side this season, missing just two of the club’s Serie A matches this season. The Gambia international has been impressive for the Italian top-tier outfit. He was superb in Sampdoria’s 0-0 draw with AC Milan on Monday, keeping Krzysztof Piatek and Zlatan Ibrahimovic at bay.

West Ham, meanwhile, have turned their fortunes around under David Moyes, who replaced Manuel Pellegrini at the helm after a poor run of results last month. But the Hammers have real problems in defence and it is one of the areas that Moyes should address this month.

Omar Colley during his time with Genk. (Getty Images)
Omar Colley during his time with Genk. (Getty Images)

Ryan Fredericks suffered a hamstring injury during West Ham’s FA Cup clash with Gillingham and it seems as though he could be out for quite some time. That will leave the ageing Pablo Zabaleta as Moyes’ only senior right-back option throughout what is a very busy period.

As far as the options in central defence are considered, Angelo Ogbonna has been a standout performer. Ogbonna has not found a reliable partner at the back, with Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena underperforming this campaign.

That being said, Moyes should strengthen his defence by signing Omar Colley from Sampdoria. Colley has proven in Serie A that he can be relied upon and recently gave a glimpse of his impressive defending in the entertaining 0-0 draw with AC Milan.

As per WhoScored, the Gambian has averaged 1.3 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 5.4 clearances and 0.6 blocks per game in the Serie A this season. He has a 78.8% pass success rate, which needs improvement if the defender is to thrive in the Premier League.

David Moyes has been reappointed as the West Ham boss. (Getty Images)
David Moyes has been reappointed as the West Ham boss. (Getty Images)

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Nonetheless, standing at 6ft 3in, Colley is a strong and powerful defender who is basically built for English football. He’s a no-nonsense centre-back with great athleticism that makes him a tempting prospect to consider for West Ham.

Being a left-footed defender, the 13-cap Gambia international would represent a potential long-term replacement for the ageing Ogbonna.

Verdict

At the age of 27, Colley is entering the peak years of his career and could make an immediate impact at the London Stadium. The former Genk man’s displays in Serie A this season have been impressive and the East Londoners must do everything possible to wrap up a deal as quickly as possible.