Gold and Sullivan will be drooling over availability of Matthias Ginter as Sky Sports share West Ham news
West Ham have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Borussia Monchengladbach defender Matthias Ginter.
Sky Sports reported via their live Transfer Centre today [12 April, 12:00pm] that the 28-year-old centre-back will become a free agent in the summer when his contract expires at Gladbach.
It is understood that Aston Villa, Tottenham and Juventus have also been keeping tabs on Ginter, who “can speak to clubs outside Germany” but won’t make his mind up on a new club until the summer transfer window opens.
It’s good news for West Ham and especially owners David Gold and David Sullivan, who’ll no doubt see Ginter as a player that they could sign without having to splash a big transfer fee.
West Ham were scared to dip their toes into the transfer market in January and, as a result, lost ground in the race for a spot in the Premier League’s top-four.
But with considerable reinforcements needed in several areas of the squad, tight-fisted Sullivan and Gold should be able to make an emphatic addition to David Moyes’ back-line now without having to pay what would have surely been a big transfer fee.
Ginter is a regular for Germany.
The former Borussia Dortmund ace has 46 caps for his country while he’s also played 289 times in the Bundesliga and 41 times in both the Europa League and Champions League.
According to an article on the Bundesliga website three weeks ago, Ginter is a centre-back who’s similar in style to Paris Saint-Germain star Sergio Ramos.
Bundesliga’s website says: “Throw in his aerial prowess, distribution honed during his early days as a holding midfielder, and threat from set-pieces, and it’s hard to ignore comparisons with Spain and Paris Saint-Germain veteran Sergio Ramos.”
It’s a view that’s echoed by Germany legend Lothar Mattheus, who told BILD in October 2020: “Ginter has become a leader at the back, in a similar way to Ramos was at Real Madrid.
“He doesn’t just give instructions to his teammates, but leads them as well. That’s what Ginter is doing really well at the moment. He reminds me of Ramos.”
Where would he fit in the West Ham squad?
Moyes needs to add players in almost every position but while the likes of Craig Dawson and Angelo Ogbonna have impressed, both are on the wrong side of 30. It’s also worth noting that Ogbonna’s contract expires this summer and both Dawson’s and Issa Diop’s deals end next year.
Kurt Zouma is currently the only centre-back at the London Stadium who seems to have a long-term future at the club and Ginter, who’s 28 and at the peak of his career, could be a really good addition to that area of the squad.
Signing Ginter makes sense on all levels.
If he’s a leader, then the playing squad will love him. If he’s a top-class centre-back who can improve the squad, Moyes will love him. If he’s available as a free agent, Gold and Sullivan will love him.
In other West Ham news, Alan Brazil has mooted the Irons completing a “shock” swoop to sign a striker who Moyes knows.
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