Leeds have completed the signings of Granddi Ngoyi and Sol Bamba from on loan from Palermo for the rest of the season. The pair have already starting training with their new colleagues at Thorp Arch.
Bamba is a 30-year-old central defender and Ivory Coast international who has plenty of experience of British football, having made 55 appearances for Leicester in 2011 and 2012, as well as a previous spell of five years in Scotland with Dunfermline and Hibs. He started at Paris Saint-Germain and has also turned out for Turkish side Trabzonspor, as well as Palermo.
So he brings a lot of experience to our back four, but will need to work on his fitness, after making only one appearance in Serie A so far this season. But he must be in with a chance of getting a game at the back for Leeds on Saturday, with Pearce struggling for form and fitness (and linked with a possible move to Wigan) while Belucci is suspended.
He certainly sounded eager to impress when he spoke to the official site. "Palermo came to me and said that Leeds were interested. From that day, I knew it would be an easy decision for me. I’m glad to be here. Everyone knows about the history of the club in English football.” (We’re not famous any more!) "It’s all good, I feel a positive attitude and a good spirit. Hopefully we will show that on Saturday.”
Next up was midfielder Granddi Ngoyi who arrived today, though his signing is still subject to approval from the Football League, because of the transfer embargo we’re now playing under. He’s a former France Under-21s international and plays primarily in a defensive midfield role, which is one position we could do with strengthening, as our other midfielders are more suited to playing further forward.
Ngoyi began his career Paris Saint-Germain, but competition for places is pretty stiff at France’s leading club and he never really managed to claim a regular first team place. After loan spells at three other French clubs he moved to Troyes in 2012, making 31 appearances before another transfer to Palermo a year later. He comes to Leeds after making only five appearances for the Italian side in the current campaign.
So we’ll have to hope that these two signings work out well. It’s clear that both are out of favour at Palermo, but at least their parent club is in Serie A, so they might be good enough to play in the Championship. At least they both operate in positions where we need to strengthen the current squad, and I suppose we’ll just have to accept that while the transfer embargo is in effect these type of signings will be the best we can do.