Sounders FC has found success in a Nigerian National Team player in Obafemi Martins and a French league defender in Djimi Traore. On Friday, the club announced it had signed someone who fits both profiles with the addition of 27-year-old Nigerian defender Onyekachi Apam.
“He’s a versatile defender. He’s a guy who has vast experience playing in French Ligue 1 which is a really good league. It’s a technical league that keeps the ball and plays good soccer and is very organized,” Sounders FC Sporting Director Chris Henderson said. “He’s athletic. He’s good with his feet so he can get out of things on his own and he finds good decisions with the ball. And he’s a tough tackler.”
Apam made 128 appearances in France's Lique 1 for Stade Rennes and OCG Nice, starting his pro career in 2006 with Nice. He earned the captain’s armband in his final season before transferring to Rennes. There, injuries limited him to just 23 appearances over four seasons, however, Seattle has a history of helping players rediscover their health and form and thrive in MLS.
“He’s had a few injury problems of late, so we’d like to get him into an environment where he’s able to train, get his body right, get the treatment he needs. Because when he’s healthy, he’s a good player,” Henderson said.
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Apam has played with Martins on the international level, making 14 appearances with the Nigerian National Team and winning a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. There, he helped Nigeria to a scoreless draw against the Netherlands and victories over Japan, Ivory Coast and Belgium before falling to Argentina in the final. The only match he missed was a 2-1 win over the U.S. when he served a one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation.
Apam will likely join his new teammates upon reception of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Clearance. Sounders FC is currently amidst a three-match, 12-day road trip that concludes on Wednesday when Seattle faces FC Dallas.
Upon his arrival, the team will evaluate how he fits in with Seattle and how he can help the team in the final stretch run of the regular season and playoffs.
“We’ll have to see when we get him in here. We’ll have to evaluate him. We’ll have to get him in with the guys,” Henderson said. “Our guys have been great in the back and this is just adding more reinforcements. We’ll see how it plays out when he comes over. He’s definitely got the experience and the soccer brain, but we’ll see how he fits in.”
