Onyewu Linked With Move Back to England

Reports out of Belgium have linked American defender Oguchi Onyewu with the struggling Blackburn Rovers of the England's Premiership.

Dec 8, 2008 7:32:57 PM

More On :  Blackburn , Standard, Oguchi Onyewu

A report from Belgian website ExtraVoetbal.be has American defender Oguchi Onyewu linked with a move back to England. According to the site, Blackburn Rovers would like to sign Onyewu in the January transfer window.

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News linking the defender to England should come as no surprise given the recent interest from Europe’s other top leagues. Standard Liege has already received offers for the 26-year-old from Marseille in France and Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany.

Paul Ince’s side could certainly use some help in the back. Blackburn has conceded more goals than any other team in the English Premier league this season and sits near the bottom of the table. The club’s January signings will be geared towards helping the Rovers avoid a relegation battle. A solid defender like Onyewu would likely be at the top of Ince’s Christmas wish list.

The growing interest for the big American center back is a testament to his improvement as a player over the past year. The Standard defender that was once considered a bit brutish in his tackles has barely put a foot wrong for club or country in 2008.

An unsuccessful 2007 loan spell with Newcastle still raises questions about Onyewu’s ability to cope with the challenges of the English game. But the American has shown his worth by performing well for Standard. Onyewu has always been a solid player in the Belgian top-flight, but his performances in Champions League and UEFA Cup action this season have been superb. The American even managed to snag a goal for himself in Standard’s 3-0 UEFA Cup victory over Sampdoria last week. That showed once again how dangerous he is on set pieces.

It has yet to be seen if Rovers will be able to top the $6.5 million U.S. dollars that Marseille is offering for Onyewu. But one thing seems clear enough, Onyewu is likely on his way out of Belgium some time soon.

--Allen Ramsey, Goal.com

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