West Ham United and Nottingham Forest in pursuit of Everton defender Michael Keane, loan on the cards
West Ham are facing competition from Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forest over the signature of Everton defender Michael Keane, according to the Sunday Mirror.
With Kurt Zouma recovering from injury and Craig Dawson’s West Ham future up in the air, David Moyes is already enquiring about new centre-backs for January.
Everton’s Keane seems high on his shopping list, but the Hammers will have to fend off interest from Nottingham Forest to secure the 29-year-old’s services.
That comes via the Sunday Mirror (4 Dec, Pg 82), who report that Keane is “set to go out on loan after falling down the pecking order at Goodison Park.”
They add that Forest have emerged as the frontrunner to sign the defender, while Leicester and Fulham join West Ham in the chasing pack.
Experience
The issue with West Ham having both Dawson and Zouma as doubts is that Nayef Aguerd and Thilo Kehrer are newcomers to English football and hugely lack experience.
Both can be great defenders on their day, but tend to play better with an experienced Premier League veteran to the side of them.
Keane can be just that for Moyes. The 29-year-old has consistently played in the top flight for both Burnley and Everton over the past seven years and proved himself capable on the big stage.
A loan deal would give Moyes time to assess the situation of Zouma and Dawson and decide whether West Ham need to invest in a new centre-back, while it also gives Aguerd and Kehrer more time to settle in.
As for Keane, he’ll want to prove to Frank Lampard that he should be starting for the Toffees and to do that he’ll need first-team football. Everton can offer him that. It’s a win-win for both parties, and he’s bound to boast a better defensive record at the London Stadium than if he chooses to join Forest.
Surely it’s a no-brainer?