After a less than impressive stint in the Premier League last season, London outfit West Ham United are now desperate to move back into the top half of the points table and Slaven Bilic is looking to make some stellar additions to the squad, even with just days left for the start of the new season.
The manager has already made a couple of decent additions to the squad this summer but the latest name that he wants at the London Stadium is Portuguese star, William Carvalho.
West Ham ready to make a bid
A transfer target for almost every big club in England, Carvalho is one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe at the moment and West Ham United are growing desperate for his signature. According to the Daily Mail, the Hammers are now prepared to make a £25m bid for his services this summer.
In this current transfer market with all its inflation, that price is a steal for a player like Carvalho but is he the right man for Bilic’s side?
History and style of play
Born and brought up in Luanda, Angola, the 25-year old is a product of one of the most prestigious academies in Portugal at Sporting and moved into the senior side at the club in 2011. He spent a couple of seasons out on loan but has now established himself as the first choice midfielder at the club for more than a couple of years now.
He made his international debut way back in 2013 and has already made 37 appearances for Portugal in his career, to add to the 120 top flight appearances in his country and 12 Champions League appearances as well.
Strong, agile and athletic, Carvalho is a technically gifted player with insane dribbling abilities and even better vision. He can create chances from a deeper role but is more than happy to sit back and act as the first line of defence for his side. He is a bundle of energy that can cover most of the field during a game and his hold up play only makes him much more attractive to clubs in England.
Chances at West Ham
The Hammers have used Mark Noble, Cheikhou Kouyaté and Pedro Obiang as first choice midfielders last season. Kouyaté and Obiang may yet be used regularly but Noble showed signs of lethargy last season and might be pushed onto the bench this campaign.
Carvalho can walk right into the first team and act as a part of the two-man midfield, with either Kouyaté or Obiang playing alongside him in the middle of the park. Manuel Lanzini can also be used in this role, making West Ham’s midfield armory one of the strongest in the league. But is Carvalho the right man?
