League One side Leyton Orient is reportedly on the cusp of finalising a deal for Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann.
The 31-year-old spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Deportivo La Coruna, but with no break clause included in that deal, he now looks set for a spell at Brisbane Road.
Richie Wellens side find themselves in the thick of a hotly contested League One relegation fight, with Tuesday evenings 3-0 defeat at Doncaster Rovers only fuelling the O’s anxieties.
According to Anthony Joseph, the Championship club has left it up to the player himself as well as Deportivo to find him a new club, with a medical at Leyton Orient set for later today.
Leyton Orient Keen To Shore Up Fragile Defensive Record
Orient are in the middle of a torrid run of form, having won just once in their last seven league matches either side of the new year. The alarming slump has seen them fall to eighteenth place, just two points clear of the relegation places.
A major contributing factor to their current plight is their porous defensive record. The East London club has conceded a League One high of 48 goals already this season, thereby increasing the demand for January reinforcements.
The pursuit of experienced stopper Bachmann signifies the sense of urgency currently being felt at the club. Wellens clearly feels that the immediate priority to arrest their slide is to instil a modicum of structure and organisation to his backline.
In quotes published in the Doncaster Free Press, the 45-year-old head coach spoke about his teams desperate need for a number one before the transfer deadline.
“I need a man that is going to come for crosses, organise the defence, that’s vocal, that has character and personality, Once we get that we might start seeing clean sheets.”
What Can Bachmann Provide For Leyton Orient?
The Austrian has enjoyed a varied spell in the English game, which began in 2012 when he joined the youth ranks at Stoke City from his native homeland.
After multiple loan spells throughout the EFL, he established himself as a regular fixture between the posts at Watford. The majority of his Hornets appearances came in the Championship, although he did make 12 Premier League appearances in 2021/22.
But having found himself surplus to requirements at Vicarage Road following the emergence of Norwegian Egil Selvik and the capture of Nathan Baxter from Bolton Wanderers, Bachmann is ready for a fresh challenge in English football.
The O’s fans can expect a commanding and vocal presence between the sticks with the arrival of the 6 feet 3 inch stopper.
If Orient are to claw their way out of the relegation battle, tightening up their all-too-permeable defence and reducing the number of goals conceded is non-negotiable.
The imminent arrival of a goalkeeper boasting over 130 second-tier appearances and 14 international caps could be the catalyst Orient desperately needs to spark a positive turnaround in their defensive fortunes.
