What Next for Ola Aina?

With his contract expected to expire on July 1, and all attempts by the egg heads of Torino for a contract renewal of the Super Eagles defender, Ola Aina, having failed as the Serie A side could not meet the defender’s contractual demands, the big question is where would the Chelsea academy product ply his trade when the new season kicks off

Super Eagles defender, Ola Aina may have played his last game for Torino as he bid farewell to teammates after Inter Milan clash with his contract expected to expire on July 1, which will make him a free agent.

Aina and Torino have been in contract negotiations for an extended period, as the club expressed their desire to extend the defender’s stay in Turin.

However, both parties failed to reach an agreement, as Torino could not meet Aina’s contractual demands.

Officially, Aina remains a Torino player until June 30, but according to reports, he already bid farewell to his teammates following their last Serie A fixture against Inter Milan, which ended in a 1-0 loss for Torino last month.

Aina featured for 33 minutes in that match, bringing his total Serie A appearances for this season to 19, of which only nine were in the starting lineup.

Throughout his time in Turin, Aina made 113 appearances, scoring two goals and providing seven assists. His departure now opens the door for a potential return to England, where he has several admirers.

As he becomes available on a free transfer, the 26-year-old right-back is expected to attract significant interest from clubs vying to secure his services.

While Ola Aina played a crucial role for Davide Ballardini’s team, scoring 10 goals and providing three assists in all competitions, his efforts were insufficient to secure their place in the Serie A top flight.

Meanwhile, Premier League campaigners West Ham, have been tipped to make another attempt to sign Aina from Torino during the January transfer window with the Hammers having issues with their defence and needed reinforcement in the crucial second half of last season.

The Hammers made a late move for Aina last  summer but they ultimately failed in that effort as Torino refused to part with the Nigerian defender.

But West Ham continue to have defensive problems at fullback with Vladimir Coufal, Aaron Cresswell, and Ben Johnson either struggling with form, consistency, or injuries.

With two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments under his belt and 93 Serie A caps, Aina guarantees quality and versatility, being able to function effectively at right-back and left-back.

And according to a report from the Evening Standard, the 26-year-old is one of the options for West Ham.

While Aina is likely keen on a return to the Premier League, the former Fulham star may have to look at other options and away from West Ham following manager David Moyes’ earlier transfer comments.

The Hammers boss told TalkSport that the club will not be active in the transfer market.

Asked if West Ham will strengthen when the transfer window reopens in the new year, Moyes said: “Nah, I don’t think we will.

“Because I have to say the board did really well by us and spent a good amount of money in the summer, we brought in nine new players, which is more than anybody would want to do, really.

“But we needed it because we’ve got a European campaign again and because of the amount of games we played in the year before. Even last season I think we played more games than any other Premier League team at this stage of  last season, so we needed to add those players.”

The Hammers, however, are not alone in the race to sign the 26-year-old versatile defender as Leeds United and Crystal Palace are also said to be keen to sign the Nigerian international who came through the youth ranks at Chelsea.

The reliable Hammers source shared that the defender is very keen on moving to the London Stadium.

Aina joined Torino in 2019, but he went on a season-long to Fulham. The Super Eagles defender then returned to Turin after an unsuccessful stint in London.

Last summer, Aina was linked with a move to the Premier League, with West Ham and Fulham amongst his suitors. However, the Chelsea Academy product remained at Torino.

Aina could favour a return to the Premier League, as he was strongly linked with Fulham and West Ham last season. Aside from his two-year stay at Torino, Aina has never played for any team outside the shores of England.

Aina was linked with a move away from the club last summer after losing his place in the starting line-up during the second half of the campaign. The 26-year-old however reclaimed his place in the starting line-up.

The Super Eagles defender left Chelsea for the Bulls in 2019. After a season which saw him make 32 league appearances, he returned to the Premier League on a loan deal at Fulham.

However, he returned to Torino penultimate summer after Fulham got relegated to the English Championship.

Aina has spent most of his life in England, and it is expected that he would favour a return to the Premier League rather than elsewhere.

Aina began his career at Chelsea, where he enjoyed success with the Blues’ youth teams, winning multiple honours, including the Barclays U21 Premier League, the FA Youth Cup, and the UEFA Youth League (twice).

It however remains to be seen if a Premier League return is the way to go for Aina.

Interestingly, Serie A side Torino are poised to engage in a transfer tussle with Glasgow Rangers as they vie for the signing of Nigerian striker Cyriel Dessers, following the exit of Aina.

Tuttosports reportedly revealed that the Toro board are looking to hijack the signature of a Cremonese forward from Rangers.