West Ham Zone View: Improved right back bid just what the doctor ordered
West Ham United’s right back position has been an issue for some time now, and that’s continued to be the case this season.
Ryan Fredericks went down injured earlier this month and hasn’t been seen since, while Pablo Zabaleta is 35-years-old and is out of contract at the end of the season.
Even when Fredericks is available – which is not a consistent thing by any means – he’s been up and down throughout his Hammers tenure.
So it makes sense that the club would be looking to sign a new player at the position during this transfer window.
To that end, Football Insider reported on Wednesday that the Irons are submitting a new bid for Red Bull Salzburg right back Rasmus Kristensen.
The club’s initial offer of £4million was turned back by the Austrian side, who only signed Kristensen from Ajax last summer.
This new bid is just what the doctor ordered, even if it has the feel of cramming last minute before a big test.
Kristensen is a decent player who performed well in tough circumstances for Salzburg in the Champions League this season.
The 22-year-old averaged 3.3 tackles and 3.2 clearances per game, although he was dribbled past twice a game on average this campaign.
So he’s solid and fairly reliable, but that’s all the Hammers need at the position. Fredericks struggles with consistency, whereas Kristensen is pretty uniform in his performances.
If the east London outfit can get a deal done for the Dane then it will be a big boost to the team’s chances of survival this season.
In other West Ham news, a reliable source has claimed that a Hammers forward will leave the club on Wednesday.