As Nuno Espirito Santo aims to make his mark on the current squad, West Ham United have reportedly joined the race to sign a Manchester City star on a bargain price in January.
Jamie Carragher criticizes ‘shocking’ West Ham
Whether under Graham Potter or now Nuno, West Ham haven’t been good enough this season. Sitting 19th in the Premier League with one win under their belt, the Hammers go into their match against Leeds United on Friday in desperate need of a positive result.
After being dumped by Brentford on Monday, their relegation fears were exposed at the London Stadium. Former Liverpool star and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher also didn’t hold back after the match, calling West Ham “shocking”.
“Shocking, and they have been for a while. I can’t think of a less athletic team I’ve seen in a long, long time in the Premier League. They’re one of the slowest teams I’ve seen in Premier League football.
“West Ham, with this squad of players, whoever the manager is, would always have a problem because I don’t think they can cope physically.
The numbers aren’t pleasant to read either. Only Chelsea have covered less distance than the Hammers in the Premier League this season and it’s not simply because they hold the majority of possession. In fact, only four teams have held less possession than the London side, which raises serious concerns.
Sky Sports also revealed that the only distance metric that West Ham are ranked highly in is distance covered. For a team struggling at the bottom of the standings, this simply cannot be accepted.
There is a lot of work to do for Nuno, but he also needs to make sure he gets the players he needs when the January transfer window opens.
West Ham are now rushing to sign Mateo Kovacic
As Caught Offside reports, West Ham are now rushing to sign Mateo Kovacic from Manchester City, who have made the Croatian available at a bargain price amid rumors he will not get a new contract at the Etihad.
The Hammers are not the only ones interested, however. Aston Villa and AC Milan are also chasing the midfielder’s signature and the latter could be tempted to join his compatriot and good friend Luka Modric at San Siro.
As Kovacic begins to become surplus to requirements at Man City, he would be an excellent move for West Ham. A multiple Premier League winner, Champions League winner and former Real Madrid player, the 31-year-old would be a major upgrade over Tomas Soucek.
|
24/25 PL statistics |
Kovavić |
Soucek |
|---|---|---|
|
Minutes |
2,198 |
2,567 |
|
Progressive ports |
56 |
9 |
|
Progressive passes |
164 |
74 |
|
Goals |
6 |
9 |
Previously described as “extraordinary” by Man City boss Pep Guardiola, Kovacic is still more than capable of playing in the Premier League. With just over a year remaining on his current deal, the Croatian is expected to look to West Ham as the ideal opportunity to remain in England’s top flight.
