What Would Be The Ideal January Transfer Window For West Ham United?
West Ham United endured a dismal start to their Premier League season this time. A slew of disappointing performances saw Slaven Bilic get sacked, following which the club appointed former Manchester United manager David Moyes as their manager.
He has, to an extent, succeeded in getting the club out of relegation danger and while they are relatively safe in the 15th spot, they need reinforcements in the upcoming January window if they are to progress higher up the points table. They have a strong team but they are lacking depth in certain areas and that will be a priority for them in January.
First up, they need to sign a new midfielder. In their recent loss against Arsenal, Moyes did try to rotate the squad a bit but the glaring lack of depth in the midfield cost the club. They started out with two 18-year-old players in the middle against the Gunners and that was a clear sign of weakness that Arsenal gleefully exploited. West Ham are expected to sign either Jack Wilshere or William Carvalho in January and both of them could truly boost their chances going forward.
To dictate play in the middle and dominate the opposition is crucial to any team’s success and both Wilshere and Carvalho are more than capable of doing so. The Arsenal man was once touted as the best young talent in England but an injury-laden period ate away his time on the field but his recent displays for Arsenal have been more than encouraging. He is creative and possesses experience as well, making him a viable option.
As far as attacking options are concerned, the Hammers could also use a boost. Although Moyes is known to build a team around the defence, a quality attacking midfielder or wide player could do wonders at the club. They do have the likes of Manuel Lanzini, Marko Arnautovic, Andre Ayew and Michail Antonio but they have been heavily reliant on Lanzini.
Hence, to offset that, adding another attacking midfielder could prove to be a game changer for the Hammers. In addition to that, West Ham could also use a new centre-back. In fact, they have been linked with Swansea City’s Alfie Mawson and it could be a good move for the club after their defensive frailties were brutally exposed against Arsenal.
The Hammers may have managed to stay afloat so far but to get higher up the table, they need to strengthen the heart of their defence.