West Ham Zone View: Reported midfield swoop would be ideal for West Ham
We all know that West Ham United are rather light in central midfield. There’s a distinct lack of depth in the middle of the park at the London Stadium.
Manager David Moyes is incredibly reliant on first choice duo Declan Rice and Mark Noble, with only the ageing – and terrible – Carlos Sanchez and the consistently sidelined Jack Wilshere behind them in the pecking order.
There are some promising youngsters out on loan – think Josh Cullen and Conor Coventry – but they cannot truly be expected to step up just yet.
A new addition in central midfield is what the Hammers need, then, and they might have found their ideal man in Udinese star Seko Fofana.
Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reported earlier this week that the east London outfit are interested in signing the 24-year-old, who Udinese value at around £17million.
That’s not a colossal sum of money in today’s market, and if it supplies Moyes with a long-term midfield partner to Rice then it would undoubtedly be worth it.
Fofana offers something different to the England international, too. He is definitely more attack-minded, which would create a nice balance alongside the 21-year-old.
The Ivorian has scored once and provided four assists this season, while averaging 1.7 shots, 1.2 key passes and 2.3 successful dribbles per game. He can carry the ball forwards into the final third and would be able to link up with the forwards, too, safe in the knowledge that Rice would be guarding the defence.
Fofana is actually a former Fulham player, from the early days of his career, so he does have some experience of English football. It wouldn’t be a failsafe signing, but it has the potential to pay off big.
We’ll see what Moyes, David Sullivan and co. decide to do in the remainder of the window, but Fofana would be a positive step in the right direction if they can get a deal over the line.
In other West Ham news, a former England international has spoken about a big blow to a Hammers winger.