West Ham United transfer priority emerges amid ’embarrassing’ Kurt Zouma verdict
Frank McAvennie has demanded West Ham bring two new centre-backs in amid heavy criticism of both Kurt Zouma and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
The former Hammers man slammed the duo, insisting Angelo Ogbonna would be a better option as he questioned how the Italian can’t get a game.
He went on to explain that fans don’t expect their defenders to play like John Stones, they just want somebody who is going to make challenges and fight for the team.
McAvennie – speaking exclusively to West Ham Zone – insisted that the way Zouma dealt with Gordon in the 4-3 defeat to Newcastle was “embarrassing” as they threw away a 3-1 lead.
“I don’t know what’s happened to Ogbonna and all of them, but they’re out of the picture now. How can Zouma get a game before him? And the big Greek boy?” McAvennie questioned.
“Zouma, I don’t know what he brings to the team now. He looks to me as if he can’t run, he gets caught out all the time and he’s not got the pace he used to have, that’s for sure. I would bring in two centre-halves first are foremost.
“When they brought in Dawson a couple of years ago, it was just a no-nonsense player, that’s what West Ham need. Someone to talk and hold the line and organise the defence. Zouma’s the captain and I don’t see him doing that.
“We need someone like Dawson. Fans are not asking the centre-halves to be the best players in the world, not everyone can be John Stones, what they want is somebody who can just win the ball and be a defender.
“We’re too lightweight. They get turned so easily up against quick players. Against Gordon for Newcastle it was embarrassing. [West Ham need] two centre-halves.“
Transfer priority emerges for West Ham
With McAvennie insisting the priority in the transfer window should be finding two new centre-backs, the links with Atletico Madrid defender Mario Hermoso, Manchester United’s Harry Maguire and Wolves’ Max Kilman shows the club are acting on it.
Both Hermoso and Adarabioyo could be available for free in the summer and would represent great value for money at the London Stadium as well as being significant upgrades on both Zouma and Mavropanos who have been given plenty of criticism.
The club have clearly identified the defence as a problem position, with several names now in the pipeline ahead of the summer transfer window which looks like being a busy one for the club once again.
A defender like Hermoso, with his experience playing at the top level in Europe under Diego Simeone who is famed for his defensively structured teams in which Hermoso made himself a key player, could be the difference-maker in this team.
In other West Ham news, McAvennie shared a new David Moyes verdict.
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