Super Eagles defender Jordan Torunarigha has outlined his ambitions for the upcoming campaign after putting himself through an intensive summer training programme ahead of Hamburger SV’s return to the Bundesliga, Footynaija.com reports.
The 28-year-old centre-back, who joined Hamburg from Belgian side KAA Gent last summer, is preparing for his second season at the Volksparkstadion and has made it clear that he wants to become an even bigger influence both on and off the pitch.
Torunarigha revealed that he sacrificed much of his summer break to ensure he arrived for pre-season in the best possible condition, working daily with personal coach and former ice hockey player Janis Glöden during a holiday on Spain’s Mediterranean coast.
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“I used my entire vacation and every single day off to prepare myself as best as possible for the new season. This daily training helps me a lot,” Torunarigha said, as quoted by Bild.
The defender believes his improved fitness will help him assume a greater leadership role in Hamburg’s backline following the departure of highly-rated loanee Luka Vuskovic, who is expected to complete a permanent move to Premier League club Brighton.
“For the upcoming season, I’ve set myself the goal of taking on even more responsibility and helping the younger players with my experience, both on and off the pitch,” he added.
Torunarigha heads into the new season as one of Hamburg’s most experienced Bundesliga players, having made 97 appearances in Germany’s top flight. Only teammate Yussuf Poulsen has featured in more Bundesliga matches among the current squad, with the Nigerian on course to reach the 100-game milestone as early as the third matchday.
The former Hertha Berlin defender was a key figure for Hamburg last season, making 27 appearances across all competitions and logging over 2,200 minutes. His defensive consistency saw him average 8.34 clearances, 1.65 tackles and 1.42 interceptions per 90 minutes while helping the club keep four Bundesliga clean sheets.
