West Ham United may be in the 10th place in the points table but they cannot afford to become complacent as they have miserably failed to find any consistency this season. They have already added Joao Mario to their squad this January transfer window but David Moyes is not completely convinced with the options at his disposal and is looking for another signing.
One player they might land before the deadline today is Ibrahim Amadou.
West Ham Make Official Approach For Amadou:
A transfer target for Crystal Palace as well, Amadou is now reportedly on West Ham’s radar as Moyes looks to add to his squad. Reports from several media sources claim that the Hammers are ready to hijack a bid from Crystal Palace, and could offer up to £2m for his services on loan, until the end of the season.
They also want an option to make the deal permanent at £14m. Though the player’s parent club, Lille want around £18m, the offer from West Ham might reportedly be enough to let him leave this month.
Who Is Amadou?
A product of the academy at Nancy, the Cameroon born midfielder moved to Lille back in 2015 and did not take too long to establish himself in the first team at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. He already has 79 Ligue 1 appearances, including 21 starts this season and also has two caps for the French U19 national side.
A defensive midfielder, who can play equally well as a CB, the 24-year old is a beast of a defender, who loves to get stuck into opponents and put them off their game. Strength in tackling and hold up play are what he is known for but what makes him an attractive player is his ability to read the play and stay a step ahead of the opponents for most of the game.
He can not only put crunching tackles in to disrupt attacks but is also a decent passer, who can initiate counter attacks from the back. He may not be the best option available in the transfer market but his attributes are exactly what West Ham have been missing this season.
Where Will He Fit In?
To be fair, the Hammers have a seriously talented and strong squad, with a number of options for each role. But in the last couple of years, they have had at least four players on the injury table at any point in time during a season. The likes of Mark Noble, Chiekhou Kouyate and Pedro Obiang have not done enough to shield their backline while Angelo Ogbonna remains the only constant presence in the backline this season for the side.
The Lille man solves both these problems, and at just 24, is an option for the long term. At his price, he is definitely a risk worth taking and given that his style of play is perfect for the Premier League, he is definitely a player who will improve the current squad at the London Stadium.
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored