English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion has secured the signing of Nigerian international defender Leon Balogun from German Bundesliga outfit FSV Mainz 05. Brighton made the announcement of the completion of Balogun’s transfer via their official website, revealing that the 29-year-old center-back has penned a two-year deal with the club on a free transfer.
Chris Hughton, the manager of Brighton, expressed his delight at the acquisition, stating, “I am delighted to welcome Leon to the club. He will add more depth to our defensive options, and I am pleased to get our first piece of business done so early in the summer.”
Hughton further emphasized Balogun’s strengths, adding, “He is in the peak years of his career and I am sure he will integrate well into the squad. He also has valuable experience, having played in the Bundesliga, the Europa League, and at the international level.”
Balogun, standing at an imposing 6ft 3in, embarked on his club career at Turkiyemspor Berlin in July 2007. His journey saw stints at Hannover and Werder Bremen before brief spells at Fortuna Dusseldorf and SV Darmstadt 98. The defender landed at Mainz in July 2015, tallying a total of 58 appearances and netting once during his tenure.
Having earned 14 caps for Nigeria, Balogun missed the 2014 World Cup due to a foot injury just before the tournament. However, his recent performances have earned him a place in Nigeria’s preliminary 30-man squad for the forthcoming 2018 World Cup in Russia, following his contribution to the Super Eagles’ successful qualification campaign.
