West Ham looking to Czech market again for Fabianski challenger – report
West Ham are reportedly keeping tabs on Slavia Prague goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar to challenge current No 1 Lukasz Fabianski, according to The Athletic.
With an ageing list of goalkeepers at the club that includes backups Darren Randolph (33) and David Martin (34), as well as first-choice Lukasz Fabianski (35), the Hammers would be wise to plan for the future, and a move for 26-year-old Kolar could fit the bill.
Kolar currently plays for Slavia Prague, a destination familiar with West Ham who have already signed Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal from the Czech First League side.
Regarding the interest, The Athletic’s West Ham correspondent Roshane Thomas says, “Fabianski will turn 36 in April. There has been no evidence of his talent waning this season, but it would not be entirely outlandish to suggest West Ham may look for a younger option.
“It is believed they are monitoring the progress of Slavia Prague goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar. The 26-year-old has earned one cap for the Czech Republic and has also kept nine clean sheets in 13 appearances this campaign, conceding just four goals.
“Randolph and Martin, who is likely to leave when his contract expires, are 33 and 34 respectively, so bringing in a younger goalkeeper to challenge Fabianski for the No 1 spot could be an option over the next 12 months.”
Back-up or challenger to the Fabianski throne?
At 35, Fabianski is relatively spritely in goalkeeper terms, and should be able to operate at a good level for a couple more years at least.
He has played all 16 of West Ham’s Premier League games this season, and has generally been a consistent performer this season as West Ham have fluctuated between mid-table and the upper echelons of the division.
Per WyScout, Fabianski makes 2.86 saves per 90, ranking him ninth in the Premier League, while he also prevents 0.13 goals per 90 (also ninth). The likes of Manchester United’s David De Gea and Brighton’s Mat Ryan, meanwhile, prevent -0.37 per 90, meaning they are conceding more than they should, so Fabianki’s record is not to be dismissed.
The fact that Fabianski comes out in the middle of the pack in a number of statistics seems relevant to the considered opinion of him – nothing flashy or outstanding, but a solid, reliable performer most weeks who Moyes can hang his hat on.
For this reason, it is unlikely West Ham would splash out on a first-choice goalkeeper when so many other areas are in desperate need of reinvigorating, but looking to the future, for the short and medium term, would be a wise move for the Hammers.
Perhaps Kolar could be brought in to learn from Fabianski for a season or so, before the Poland goalkeeper is replaced if a natural decline is suspected.
However, given his performances and recent form, it would be a surprise if a change in the West Ham nets is made any time soon.
In other West Ham news, Moyes shares the challenge he has issued to Said Benrahma.