Why West Ham should go for Kevin Strootman in January

Back in May, the Sky Sports had claimed that West Ham were one of the Premier League clubs who were offered a chance to sign Marseille midfielder Kevin Strootman on loan. However, West Ham didn’t make an offer to sign him during the summer transfer window.

Kevin Strootman, 29, signed for Marseille from Roma last summer and was a mainstay in central midfield throughout the season. However, the French club were looking to cut costs after a disappointing 2018/19 season in which they finished sixth in the Ligue 1.

While West Ham can take up the option to sign him before the new season, they must try for a loan deal in January and if the Dutch midfielder manages to adapt to English football, the move can be made permanent in future.

Additions need to be made to the West Ham midfield in the upcoming transfer window if they are to break into the top six under Manuel Pellegrini.

The Hammers bolstered their attack with the signings of Sebastien Haller and Pablo Fornals but didn’t add depth to the central midfield area which struggled a lot last season.

In Declan Rice, Mark Noble, Jack Wilshere and Carlos Sanchez, the east Londoners are not blessed with plenty of midfield options.

And with Noble ageing, Wilshere unreliable due to his past injury record and Sanchez already one of the worst buys in Pellegrini era, the club must make it a priority to sign a couple of central midfielders in the mid-season trading period.

Kevin Strootman would fit the bill. A number of injury problems have destroyed Strootman’s career over the past five years and have really stalled the progress he has been able to make and subsequently becoming a shadow of his former self.

A loan move makes sense here and a move to West Ham will provide him with the perfect opportunity to revive his career.

The Netherlands international made 27 appearances in Ligue 1 last season, scoring once and assisting five from midfield – as well as playing five games in the Europa League for the French outfit.

He has spent his career playing for top clubs such as PSV, Rom and Marseille, and the experience he could pass onto the likes of Declan Rice for a season or two could be invaluable for the youngster.

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Strootman is a much better option that Noble and would certainly give more balance to the West Ham squad with his presence on the pitch. A good passer of the ball and a robust tackler, the 29-year-old will certainly improve Pellegrini’s midfield ranks.

Verdict

West Ham certainly need to add depth in central midfield and Strootman would be ideal. If the Hammers do land him and Pellegrini can get him up to top form, he could prove to be one of the bargain signings of the Chilean’s era.