West Ham United have lost both their games in the Premier League so far and though they registered a victory in the EFL Cup recently, they will have to find some form quickly to make sure that they can compete for a place in Europe this season. They have made a couple of decent additions to the squad but Slaven Bilic is evidently unhappy with the options at his disposal.
This has seen him linked with some of the most exciting stars in Europe and one such name now constantly doing the rounds is Didier N’Dong.
Hammers grow impatient
The lack of quality in the defensive midfield area has been haunting Bilic but the looks of it as he has been desperately scouting for Portuguese star William Carvalho. But with time running out, he seems to have given up on the Sporting star and has now turned his attention to N’Dong.
According to the Independent, West Ham United are not ready to meet the valuation of Carvalho of around £36.5m and see N’Dong as a decent alternative. So should they make a move for him?
N’Dong and his attributes
Having started his senior career with a top tier club in Tunisia, N’Dong only made a name for himself in his time in France, where he spent a productive season with Lorient. He made 48 appearances in one and half a season.
His performances earned him a place at the Stadium of Light at the start of the previous season and he was expected to be a huge signing for the Black Cats. He hardly missed any games for the side, establishing himself as the first choice and has been doing the same in the Championship this season.
A central midfielder by trait, N’Dong is a bundle of energy who can dictate terms in the midfield. His man marking ability is decent while his knowledge of the game allows his side to stay ahead of their opponents for most of the game. He is strong in hold up play and has already shown enough promise in the English top flight, to be able to handle the pressures at West Ham.
Can he be a hit in London?
Surely, the pressure will be a lot more than it was at Sunderland on the 23-year old but having gathered loads of experience in two different leagues and on the international stage, he is a player ready for the challenges of the Premier League.
Bilic has used Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang in the midfielder’s role while Declan Rice also did a good job in the previous game. Cheikhou Kouyaté is one of the few other options in this role for the Hammers and N’Dong will be more than a decent addition.
Noble is now 30 and his experience is the best way for N’Dong to improve his skills in the Premier League. At just 23, he is a long term option the Hammers should definitely look to sign this summer.
