Turkish women’s volleyball giants VakıfBank put an icing on the cake of their active transfer policy this summer as they formalized the arrival of Paola Egonu.
VakıfBank’s latest transfer is of the presumably biggest female volleyball world star Egonu. That’s what the fans of the current Turkish, European, and world’s club champions were eagerly waiting for. The club president said they had closed a deal with the MVP of the last EuroVolley, the player herself confirmed it – but the signature is the only sure thing. Having achieved victory in all lanes last season, VakıfBank said goodbye to several names in order to make room for some other of equal strength or stronger. So after Bajema, Daalderop, and Căruțașu – it was time for Egonu to become a member of the yellow-black family.
One of the most recognizable faces of women’s volleyball in the world today, the 23-year-old Italian player, has won numerous awards from many tournaments, showing top-class early in her career. After winning 1 Italian Super Cup, 2 Italian Cups, and 1 CEV Champions League title with Igor Gorgonzola Novara between 2017 and 2019, Egonu made her way to Prosecco DOC Imoco Volley Conegliano. There, the opposite hitter had years full of trophies: 3 Italian Super Cups, 3 Italian Cups, 2 Italian Leagues, 1 FIVB Club World Championship, and 1 CEV Champions League. All those successes were followed by individual awards: MVP of the Italian Cup in 2018 and 2019, and CEV Champions League in 2019. In 2021, Egonu won the same award in the Italian Cup, Italian League, and CEV Champions League. This performance in 2021 brought her the Player of the Year award from CEV. We won’t count the individual recognitions with the Italy National Team. Egonu was selected as the Most Valuable Player in the Italian Cup and the Italian League last season.
See our sections – Transfers – Done Deals and Transfers – Rumors.
