Blues have this morning confirmed the signing of Senegalese midfielder Cheikh N’Doye on a two-year contract. N’Doye trained with Blues in Austria yesterday and completed the deal late last night. N’Doye was available on a free transfer, after declining the offer of a new contract at French club Angers.
Whilst not a name that many Blues supporters will know much, if anything, about, the general reaction to the signing has been positive. His physicality is very impressive and something that most fans focused on after doing some YouTube research…
https://twitter.com/BCFC_Ant/status/885542347026595842
He becomes Harry Redknapp’s third proper signing of the summer, although officially Craig Gardner also counts. Redknapp said early in pre-season that he would be looking to make the most of some free transfer signings and has done so seemingly effectively.
Harry also seems to be strengthening the spine of the team, with Stockdale, Roberts and now N’Doye, that spine looks much stronger, and taller.
NDOYE at his medical #Ndoye #BCFC pic.twitter.com/Te2iuLTxa5
— JW (@joewatson24) July 13, 2017
Admittedly, I didn’t know much about N’Doye prior to yesterday, however I was referred to this FourFourTwo article titled “8 of the best players Premier League clubs can get for free this summer”. In the list N’Doye is the first player on the page, and they have the following to say:
The big problem with N’Doye is his age. For some reason, the Senegalese midfielder wasn’t discovered in good time and played in France’s lower divisions until 2015. The 31-year-old is very much a late bloomer, but ever since joining Angers two years ago he has proved to be one of the most influential players in Ligue 1, and was duly named team captain.
N’Doye has something of Patrick Vieira in him. He is extremely strong, powerful in the air and exceptionally dangerous from set-pieces, and yet at the same time knows how to dictate the tempo and build the game from behind. His technical skills are gradually improving as well, and he is capable of sending deft through-balls. In short, we are talking about a complete box-to-box enforcer.
Crystal Palace and West Brom showed interest a year ago, and now they can get their man for nothing. After spending most of his career at tiny Epinal and Creteil, N’Doye would be glad to have a taste of English football, and he looks perfectly suited for it. After all, age is just a number.
https://twitter.com/JayyBCFC/status/885556902616342530
Speaking about his latest signing Harry Redknapp said: “He’s an imposing figure. Big, strong, aggressive – and he can play. I like him. I think he’s going to be a big asset to us.
He’s an imposing figure. Big, strong, aggressive – and he can play. I like him. I think he’s going to be a big asset to us.
He’s a powerhouse. He’s made for English football. He’s got strength, he can run, he’s got all that it takes to be a good player here.
Blues manager Harry Redknapp
“We have been chasing him for quite a while. It’s dragged on a bit, but we’re delighted to have got him. I think he had big offers from China but he decided he wanted to come and play in England with us.”
“He’s a powerhouse. He’s made for English football. He’s got strength, he can run, he’s got all that it takes to be a good player here.”
“Hopefully there will be more coming in. We are still looking to improve the squad, we are trying. The lads here have done well. I’ve been pleased with them. They’ve worked hard and we’ve got some good players.”
Blues fans will be hoping to get a glimpse of the “Senegalese Hulk” tomorrow in the friendly against Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona. You can watch that game for free on Blues Player.
https://twitter.com/LeMod1875/status/885548971648798721