West Ham opinion: Hammers sign Roberto from Espanyol – Good move?
According to a report in Sky Sports, Premier League side West Ham have confirmed the signing of Spanish goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez Gago on a free transfer from La Liga side Espanyol.
The 33-year-old will join the Hammers on the 1st of July, when his contract officially expires at the RCDE Stadium. A deal of two years has been agreed between both parties. (h/t Sky Sports)
Roberto is an experienced keeper, who has played for various clubs across Spain, Greece and Portugal. He has taken part in over 300 top-flight games over the course of his career so far, winning six trophies.
West Ham signed him chiefly knowing the fact that Adrian will leave the club this summer (h/t Sky Sports). Lukasz Fabianski remains the number one keeper in the team. Here’s why the signing of Roberto is the right decision made by the Hammers:
Roberto’s experience and quality would help
Roberto Jimenez Gago is an experienced goalkeeper with top-flight experience in various leagues. He hasn’t played for Spain at the senior level but was one of the better stoppers around in the youth setup back in the day.
In terms of his attributes, the 33-year-old is a pretty agile keeper, who possesses fast reflexes to stop shots from close range. His height (192cm) allows him to dive and cover most portions of the goal.
The Spaniard’s positioning from crosses and/or set-pieces is good too. His kicking and the ability to pass from the back with the help of the centre-backs is not too shabby either.
All in all, Roberto has everything a fantastic goalie should have. Experience is just a plus-point to his game as he arrives at West Ham ahead of next season.
Even though Fabianski is expected to continue as the first-choice stopper in the team, Roberto’s presence as a backup means the Hammers will have someone very secure on the bench to call upon at any stage during the season.
Furthermore, with such a high quality and extremely experienced keeper on the bench, the pressure would increase on the number one to raise his game. Thus, competition may bring the best out of both of them.
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Conclusion
Hence, we can say that West Ham have done the right thing by signing Roberto Jimenez Gago on a free transfer.