West Ham United will feel hard done by after they failed to take even a point from their trip to the Etihad this past weekend, in spite of putting in a spirited performance. Manager David Moyes will not be too angry with the performance of the players but will know that his side need some quality additions in the January transfer market to make sure that they stay as far away as possible from the relegation zone.
They are currently 19th, 3 points away from safety, so it will not be easy for the London outfit to lure top-class names to the club, mid-way through the season. So Moyes will surely be looking at experienced players, who can make an immediate impact and one such player who is closer to a move to England is Nicolai Muller.
The 30-year old has played for four different German clubs till date but became a popular name on social media, picking up an ACL tear while celebrating a goal, in the first game of the season for Hamburger SV. This is his 4th season at the club and he is out of a contract at the end of the season. The German club wanted to extend his contract but his injury might now make him a cheap buy for clubs in England.
Muller has been ruled out from any kind of football for at least the next two months and his club are now ready to part ways, but that has not stopped the likes of Southampton and West Ham United from scouting for him.
Who is Muller?
A youth product of the Eintracht Frankfurt, Muller is a versatile winger, who can play across the front line with ease. His finishing, even from long range, is his biggest weapon while his passing and vision make him an effective player in the final third. He loves to take his man on, on the flanks and is a decent crosser of the ball
He is a hard-working player, who makes more interceptions than most wingers in the league and is adept at finishing off chances, more than he is in creating them. He has 37 goals and 29 assists in 163 Bundesliga appearances and is one of the most established wingers in the competition.
He has made just two appearances for the German national team and is a utility player most clubs in England would love to have at their disposal.
Chances at London Stadium
West Ham have the likes of Andre Ayew and Michail Antonio who perform similar roles at the club. The likes of Edimilson Fernandes, Marko Arnautovic, and Manuel Lanzini are other options in attack alongside strikers Andy Carroll and Javier Hernandez.
As experienced as Muller is, it is hard to see him make an immediate impact and displace a first-team player if he makes the move to the capital city and add to it his injury at the moment, he is not the man to get the Hammers out of their slump.
Moyes is better advised to look for players who can make an immediate and a long-term impact at the club, and are actual upgrades on options they already have in their squad.
