Transfer Story
Recent reports have linked Manchester United defender, Chris Smalling with a move to the West Ham United this summer.
According to latest developments, Slaven Bilic is looking to sign the central defender who has fallen behind on the pecking order under Jose Mourinho.
The ex-Fulham player is tied to the Red Devils till 2019 and with 2 years left on his contract, the defender is said to be valued at around €20m.
Smalling, 27, had the lion’s share of the spotlight when it came to defending the goal under Louis van Gaal but he is no longer being considered a prospect by Mourinho who wants to shed off excess baggage this summer to pursue his “style” of players in the transfer window.
Let’s take a look at the stats of the Englishman.
Player Stats
The Englishman has only started 13 of the 18 appearances handed to him by the “Special One”, scoring and assisting one goal for the team.
Although having a short stint in the Premier League, he has been the key figure in Europa League for Mourinho.
Towering at 6’4″ the defender is good at aerial duels and also a threat to opponents in set pieces.
The Englishman has only made 3 key passes but has a passing success of 88% and a tackle succession of 75%, which goes to show he likes to stay back and defend and build from the back rather than make risky front-footed tackles.
The player has also made 13 interceptions for his team which shows that he has the vision and technical awareness to detect early threats and dissipate opponents’ attack before they develop.
What’ll he bring to the club?
Bilic is frustrated with his backline which saw his team concede a staggering 64 goals in the Premier League and is looking for re-enforcement at the back.
Smalling might provide Bilic with the right amount of composure and solidity required at the back and with his ability and technical awareness inside the box, he could be a good partner for Jose Fonte.
Worth the money?
Valued at €20m, it would be a bargain buy for the Hammers considering the lack of quality and consistency they have at the back. If Bilic does go the extra mile to acquire the services of the Englishman it would be a classic move, for sure.
