According to Plymouth Live, Cardiff City are interested in signing Nigerian international centre-back Efe Ambrose after the 30-year-old terminated his contract with Scottish Premiership side Hibernian.
However, the same report claims that a formal offer for the free agent is yet to be made by the Bluebirds, with Turkish club Akhisarspor close to agreeing a deal with the former Celtic man.
Neil Warnock’s side are desperate to bring in some reinforcements in January to boost their chances of survival in the Premier League. Cardiff are currently placed 17th in the standings with 18 points from 21 games, just a couple of points clear of Southampton in the relegation zone.
The Wales-based club has the second worst defensive record in the Premier League this season, having conceded 41 goals already with a goal difference of -22. The Bluebirds cannot afford to ship goals at such an alarming rate in the second half of the season and they should aim to improve on their goal difference, something which can be turn out to be a deciding factor in their bid for survival.
Sol Bamba has been the standout figure at the back for Cardiff City this season and the veteran has also chipped in with a couple of valuable strikes. However, Sean Morrison and Bruno Manga haven’t been too consistent, letting the team down with occasional lapses in concentration.
To put things into perspective, Cardiff should not hesitate to add another experienced defender to their squad to achieve a better defensive record in the second half of the season. And that is exactly where someone like Efe Ambrose fits the bill.
Ambrose is best remembered for his heroics in Celtic’s 2-1 win over Barcelona in the Champions League in 2012. He played for Bayelsa United and Kaduna United in his native land before joining Celtic in 2012 following a brief spell in Israel. Ambrose established himself as a seasoned campaigner at Celtic Park and played there for five seasons before joining Hibernian on loan in 2017.
The 30-year-old, who has 51 international caps for Nigeria, won the silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics and was an integral part of the Super Eagles team that tasted glory at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He was also a part of Nigeria’s squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Standing at 6ft. 3 inches with a towering frame, Ambrose is known for his versatility to play as a centre-back, right-back and also as a central midfielder due to his good range of passing and composure in possession.
He is a strong and powerful defender blessed with good aerial ability, who contributes a lot to the team with his work ethics. Furthermore, he is a hugely experienced customer with good leadership qualities and his presence at the back can be an invaluable asset to a team like Cardiff.
Cardiff still have a good chance of surviving in the Premier League if they can string together a consistent run in the second half of the season. And the acquisition of Ambrose will only to a world of good to their chances of staying up in the top flight.