Report: Moyes considers West Ham swoop to sign QPR left-back Manning
West Ham manager David Moyes is considering a £5million swoop for QPR left-back Ryan Manning before the domestic transfer window closes next Friday, according to the Daily Star.
The newspaper reports that Moyes has prioritised signing an experienced centre-back before the 5pm transfer cut-off on October 16 but the Hammers boss also wants a left-back and a midfielder.
QPR’s Manning can play in both positions and seems to be available based on the fact he is yet to feature for the West London club in the Championship this season due to “a stand-off in contract talks” [Irish Indepedent].
Manning’s deal expires next June which means the Irish 24-year-old could be available on a cheaper basis than he normally would.
Last season, the former Ireland Under-21s international made 41 league appearances for QPR, scoring four goals and supplying seven assists in the process.
One of those goals, West Ham fans would like to know, came against Millwall in Rangers’ penultimate match of the 2019/20 Championship campaign.
Manning is very much an attack-minded left-back.
The former Galway United ace was played predominantly as a left-back last term by Mark Warbuton but was also at times utilised as a left-winger and even as a left-sided central midfielder.
The heatmap below, via WyScout, shows just how Manning loves to operate up and down the left-flank as he averaged 4.15 crosses, 2.96 dribbles and 0.99 shots per 90 minutes of Championship football last season.
West Ham already have two players who can play at left-back in Aaron Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku but in the Hammers’ last two Premier League matches, Cresswell has operated as a left-sided centre-back in a back-three with Masuaku playing as a wing-back.
Manning could be seen as a back-up option in the left wing-back role due to how he loves to bomb forward while Moyes could also have plans for him to be seen as a left-sided winger.
Either way, if Manning is in your squad you’re guaranteed to have a player who’s usually always open and in space on the left-wing to offer a hand both defensively and in the attack.
In other West Ham news, David Moyes has reacted to Vladimir Coufal’s performance against Leicester.