There’s competition from Aston Villa and a Juventus loanee – but it’s Hamilton Accies man Hakeem Odoffin who leads the U23s interception chart as the former Wolves trainee goes from strength to strength.
Odoffin started out at Tottenham before moving to Barnet, potential there earning him a move to Wolves. He didn’t quite break into Molineux plans, but after permanent spells with Northampton Town and Livingston, he has found his feet at Accies.
The former Wolves man has beaten competition from Aston Villa to the top of the interceptions chart. (Photo by Bruce White/SNS Group via Getty Images)
He has made himself arguably Brian Rice’s main man, able to play numerous positions across the backline and midfield, perhaps most effectively in central defensive midfield. Odoffin has played 15 times at CDM, 13 at centre-back and three at right-back this term.
But a key stat has emerged, Odoffin completing the most interceptions of any U23s player in Europe. The Accies man has made a staggering 87 interceptions this season which is a whole 19 more than second-placed Atalanta’s Cristian Romero – who is on-loan from Juventus.
Other notable players on the list includes Olivier Boscagli of PSV and Matty Cash at Aston Villa, but they have 27 and 38 less interceptions respectively. Hamilton return to action next Wednesday against St Johnstone in their fight for Scottish Premiership survival.
Odoffin and Accies are back next week.. (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
The 10 U23s players with the most interceptions in Europe includes; Hakeem Odoffin (Hamilton Accies, 87) Cristian Romero (Atalanta/Juventus, 68), Olivier Boscagli (PSV, 60), George Cox (Fortuna Sittard, 54), Mahdi Camara (Saint-Étienne, 53), Azor Matusiwa ( FC Groningen, 52), Roger Ibañez ( Roma/Atalanta, 50), Matty Cash (Aston Villa, 49), Loic Badé (RC Lens, 49), Roman Yevgenyev (Dynamo Moscow, 49), Marcos Senesi (Feyenoord, 49)
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