Premier League 2012/13: 10 New Arrivals That Will Make Huge Impact

8. Modibo Maiga

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vkhyLUET1c Modibo Maiga is a tall Malian centre forward who just signed for West Ham from Ligue 1 outfit Sochaux. He started his professional career in his homeland and then moved to France via a two year stint in Moroccan football. He signed for Le Mans in 2007 where he played played alongside Arsenal€™s Gervinho and Stephane Sessegnon of Sunderland and racked up 15 goals. His career took a step up when he joined Sochaux in 2010 where he became a prolific goalscorer, averaging a ratio of almost a goal every other game. His form caught the eye of Newcastle, who were poised to sign him in 2011 for an agreed fee of £7 million; Maiga failed his medical however and the transfer broke down. This left the way open for newly promoted West Ham to make their move in remarkably similar fashion to when they signed Demba Ba- and what a player he turned out to be. From all the hype around Maiga, I expect him to have a similar sort of impact as Ba did on the Premier league, and at 24 years of age West Ham may have just signed a predator coming into his prime.