With seven centre-backs with first-team experience already on the books, adding an eighth hardly seems to be a priority. The addition of the Brighton & Hove Albion loanee, Leo Ostigard, doesn’t address an obvious gap in the squad, but could prove to be a case of adding a quality player who has become available. The Norwegian youth international arrives at Coventry City off the back of an impressive season on loan in the German second-tier with St Pauli and is seen as someone who could soon be playing at the highest-level, with a spell in Sky Blue the next step in his progress.
As a right-footed centre-back, it appears that Ostigard is vying for either the central or right-sided role in our back three. With everyone fit, this would seemingly place Kyle McFadzean under pressure for his starting place in the side. Were Ostigard to come into the side in place of Kyle McFadzean, there is a concern that it would leave the back three short on experience in a tough division, with the oldest member being Michael Rose – at 24 years old heading into this season. However, if the player is as good as reports suggest he could be, it may be a case of talent ousting experience.
In the final year of his contract and playing in a position that his parent club, Brighton & Hove Albion, are already stacked in, there is a chance that Leo Ostigard could be here for longer than his initial one-season loan arrangement if he makes the right impact. At the very least, as a loan player in a position we’re already strong in, Ostigard will need to prove that he is an improvement on our current options. While this signing doesn’t immediately make sense, it may prove to be the kind of astute addition that could help us evolve towards being a Championship-level side.
Sideways Sammy 