Pedro Obiang

Pedro Mba Obiang Avomo (born 27 March 1992) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club West Ham United.

Sampdoria

Born in Alcalá de Henares, in the Community of Madrid, Obiang started his football career playing for various teams from his home city such CD Avance, RSD Alcalá and AD Naya, where he excelled. Due to these participations, he was transferred to the Cadete team of Atlético Madrid. He left Atlético for Sampdoria in 2008 at age 16, the minimum age that international transfer within the European Union is allowed. He was the member of Allievi Nazionali youth team in 2008–09 season, but also call-up to the first team in pre-season. He also appeared as unused bench on 28 January 2009 against Lazio and against Chievo, by the decision of coach Walter Mazzarri. In 2009–10 season, he was promoted to senior youth team – Primavera.

Primary a youth team player, Obiang also played 7 times in pre-season friendlies in summer 2010, scored 2 goals. After the injury crisis of the Genoese team, which the team lost midfielders Stefano Guberti, Fernando Tissone, Andrea Poli and Paolo Sammarco, he received a call-up again from new coach Domenico Di Carlo, and made his competitive debut on 12 September 2010. He substituted Vladimir Koman in the 58th minute, at that time Doria losing 1–2 to Juventus. Eventually Doria 3–3 draw at Stadio Olimpico di Torino. Obiang signed a new 5-year deal with Doria on the morning before the start of the match.

He also named in 2010–11 UEFA Champions League 25-men senior squad (list A) for play-off round and received the call-up against Werder Bremen, however Obiang was not named as one of players on the bench. He also received his first call-up for 2010–11 UEFA Europa League on 28 September 2010 as list B players (Under-21 youth product). He made his European debut on 16 December 2010 (matchday 6), with the club already eliminated before the match, 0–2 defeat to Debreceni.

West Ham United

On 10 June 2015, West Ham United announced the signing of Obiang for an undisclosed fee on a four-year deal. He made his Premier League debut on 15 August as a half-time substitute for Reece Oxford in a 1–2 home defeat to Leicester City. In November 2016, Obiang was announced as West Ham's Player of the Month for October. On 4 February 2017, Obiang scored his first Premier League goal for the Hammers on his 55th appearance for the club, against Southampton. The ball fell to Obiang from a corner, where he controlled, and then shot finding the bottom corner from 25 yards out. On 20 March, 2017 he was ruled out for the remainder of the 2016-17 season having rolled his ankle during a home defeat by Leicester City on 18 March 2017.

Obiang capped for Spain at youth levels. Obiang received a call up for Porto International Tournament in April 2011.

Due to his Fang background, Gabonese Football Federation tried unsuccessfully to persuade Obiang to play for Gabon, although both his parents and his grandparents are from Equatorial Guinea. In November 2011, they included him in a squad list for a match between the country's U20 and China U20, however he ignored the call.

Being eligible to represent Equatorial Guinea, in 2011, the country's federation approached Obiang to enquire if he would be willing to represent the country at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, however Obiang declined. In April 2015, after a meeting with the Equatoguinean Football Federation people, Obiang's stance on representing Equatorial Guinea appeared to have changed after showing a desire to play for the country. On 5 October 2016, Obiang reunited in London with Equatoguinean Football Federation president Andrés Mbomio, and Equatoguinean national team coach and coordinator, Esteban Becker and Juvenal Edjogo-Owono respectively, to reach an agreement.