£15m rated Pedro Obiang has Premiership giants on alert
Tom JohnsonDecember 30, 20120
It seems that Yaya Toure, Gareth Barry, James Milner, Jack Rodwell and Javi Garcia aren’t enough for Roberto Mancini, who, according to Talksport, is keen on £15 million rated Pedro Obiang of Sampdoria. He has been crowned the Spanish predecessor to the mighty Ivorian already at the Etihad with his strong powerful displays for the Genoese club since seizing his chance two years a go when an injury crisis hit the midfield.
At only 20 this young man has more suitors watching him from afar than Pippa Middleton but this may be a case of the tabloids getting ahead of themselves. According to numerous sources, the majority of which are owned by Rupert Murdoch, Manchester City, Chelsea, Spurs, Napoli and a number of Spanish clubs are all watching Obiang.
His agent spoke about his clients future last month:
We know that several Italian, English and Spanish clubs are following him, but Pedro is a mature guy and is thinking only about Sampdoria. We are excited about the interest of other clubs, there are many rumours, but we have not spoken to anyone.Quote taken from talkSPORT.com.
His robust tackling makes him the ideal partner for a central midfielder that likes to have the ball delivered to him so he can pick out the perfect pass. Out of the clubs mentioned the only one I can imagine actually needing him is Chelsea who have never really been able to replace the once outstanding Michael Essien.
John Obi Mikel does a job, though not many people know what it is, but Obiang could offer some real steel to a midfield overflowing in creativity but lacking the harsh current needed to stop people rowing through it like British Olympians.
Of course just because City don’t need him doesn’t mean they won’t try and sign him, they didn’t need Jack Rodwell but Mancini thought it was necessary and now the ex-Evertonian looks likely to be joining Scott Sinclair in Manchester City’s very own version of ‘Where’s Wally?’but using once promising English midfielder’s instead.
Spurs on the other hand have Sandro, who has been outstanding this season doing exactly what Obiang has been doing for Sampdoria. Not only that but the man who looks like he belongs in a 1940′s spitfire – Scott Parker, is more or less fit again, so adding Obiang would be like trying to shove a square shape into a circular hole.
Napoli have a huge fan base and are one of the teams in Italy consistently challenging for Champions League qualification but with Lavezzi joining PSG in the summer, Marek Hamsik and Edinson Cavani being linked with more clubs than Sven Goran Eriksson in the noughties, their time in the sun may be about to run out.
With this many teams interested the newest Spanish midfielder to come straight off the production line Obiang either has bags of raw potential or an excellent agent. With only one good season under his belt in a league that has improved in recent years but still has some way to go, Obiang would do well to take his time and enjoy life as a regular player at a regular club.
But this is football, and as soon as a Shiekh or Mr Abramovich wave their cheque books his agent may have a different plan in mind.
