West Ham defender Angelo Ogbonna hopes to earn a call-up to Antonio Conte’s Italy squad after an impressive first season in the Premier League.
The 27-year-old, an £8.5 million summer signing from Juventus, has 10 caps for the Nerazzuri but last appeared under Conte in October 2014, when he was a substitute in a 1-0 victory over Malta.
Ogbonna has not appeared in an Italy squad in over a year but a debut season at West Ham in which he has made 24 appearances and rarely put a foot wrong has convinced him that he can do a job against Europe’s elite forwards next summer.
Conte brought Ogbonna to Juventus from city rivals Torino in 2013 and though he was behind Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini in his manager’s affections the West Ham man is confident his former club boss will consider him a viable option for Euro 2016.
“I really hope I get a call-up,” Ogbonna said. “I have an obsession for the national team, it’s a recurring dream of mine. Being called up for the Euros would be a magical ending to this great season.
“I’ve stopped [Liverpool striker Christian] Benteke and I hope Conte took note. Conte knows me and he knows my qualities, and he knows what he needs in his team.”
Ogbonna has certainly joined West Ham at the right time, with the arrival of Slaven Bilic helping to inspire the east London side towards a top six finish in their final season at the Boleyn Ground.
In a remarkable Premier League season the spotlight has rarely been on West Ham, with Leicester’s remarkable title charge earning the Foxes global admiration. Coming from a league in which Juventus have just claimed their fifth consecutive Scudetto the magic of the English game is appealing to Ogbonna.
West Ham's final season at the Boleyn Ground
“The Premier League is fantastic,” he added. “So many top-players, the stadiums are magical, I think of Old Trafford, England’s got a unique atmosphere that you breathe in everywhere.
“My West Ham has been one of the League’s surprises. We took advantage of the big teams having a bad year.
Read More
“I think Leicester will win the title. They were simply the best team this year both physically and mentally, I would be delighted if they won.”
