Apam Joins Obafemi At Seattle

MLS side, Seattle
Sounders has taken a gamble on Onyekachi Apam after they signed the injury-troubled Nigeria defender without even having a look at him.
Apam’s highly promising career has been held back by a long-term knee injury since 2010.
“Usually, we want to see players live or bring them in on a trial, but the way the deadline was and everything else, it wasn’t something we could get done,” Sounders coach Sigi Schmid.
“There’s nobody else that’s really on our radar right now that’ll work as well, so we’ll do this.
“I can’t think of another time where we’ve really done it sight unseen, but we felt it was a big opportunity.”
Compatriot and Seattle Sounders striker Obafemi Martins also put in a word for the MLS side to sign Apam before today’s transfer deadline.
“(Martins) spoke highly of him,” Schmid said.
“He’s got a good pedigree. He’s got pace, which is something we’re looking for in a central defender, as well.”
Seattle sporting director Chris Henderson has told the club’s website his team will gain from Onyekachi Apam’s experience.
He said Onyekachi Apam’s versatility and experience will be handy to help his team.
“Onyekachi brings vast experience from French Lique 1 and the Nigerian national team,” Henderson remarked.
“He is a versatile defender who can play central or wide and has the ability to start our attack from the back as well.”
Apam began his youth career with the Pepsi Football Academy before he joined Enugu Rangers from where he moved to French side Nice after a trial in 2005.
He went on to make 105 appearances for Nice before transferring to Rennes in 2010, where he made 23 appearances from 2010 to 2014.
The centre-back has also appeared 14 times for the Nigerian national team, he won silver with Nigeria at FIFA U20 World Cup in Holland 2005 and won silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.