OFFICIAL: Revolution Add Angoua On Loan From French Club EA Guingamp

The New England Revolution have officially announced the loan deal for defender Benjamin Angoua from Ligue 1 side EA Guingamp. The move confirms earlier reports from France by Ouest Sports and L’Equipe. The Revolution will have an option to permanently transfer Angoua at the end of the 2017 season.

Angoua will be added to the Revolution roster upon the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P-1 Visa.

“With Benjamin’s experience, adding him to the Revolution was an important step for our club this offseason,” Revolution General Manager Michael Burns said in the team’s press release. “We began this offseason with the goal of bringing in veteran players who are ready to contribute right away, so we are very pleased to have Benjamin with us as we head to preseason training in Arizona.”

The 30-year old Ivory Coast international has extensive experience playing in France’s Ligue 1, which includes his current time at Guingamp from 2014-17 and with FC Valenciennes from 2010-14. Angoua has made 138 starts in 152 total apperances across Ligue 1 play since 2010 with his previous two teams in France. The defender has also played with Hungary’s Budapest Honved from 2006-10 and in his native Ivory Coast with Africa Sports from 2004-06 and has made over 300 career appearances across all competitions in his career. Angoua has played in the UEFA Europa Leauge with both Guingamp and Budapest Honved.

Internationally, Angoua has played 17 times for his country and has recorded one goal for the Ivory Coast national team.

Angoua looks to be the second half a brand new centerback pairing for the Revolution, having announced Slovenian Antonio Delamea earlier in the week. Delamea has already trained with the Revolution ahead of their first of two trips to Tuscon, Arizona for MLS preseason.

New England team president Brian Bilello teased on Monday that he was signing two international centerbacks using Targeted Allocation Money. There was no mention of TAM in the team press release but Bilello did confirm Angoua as a TAM signing to us on Twitter:

The New England Revolution will play friendlies next week in Arizona before defending their preseason title at the Desert Diamond Cup starting February 18th. New England opens the 2017 MLS Regular Season on March 4th at the Colorado Rapids.

Welcome to New England Benjamin!