Manuel Pellegrini is expected to be a busy man this transfer window as his West Ham side are desperate to improve the first team at the club this summer. This has seen them linked with some exciting stars recently and the latest name doing the rounds is Willy Caballero.
Pellegrino To Trust Caballero:
The Hammers are in the market for a shot-stopper this summer and there are a number of names that are linked with a move to London recently. But reports from The Sun now claim that the Chilean manager is ready to bring former Manchester City man Caballero to West Ham this summer.
He has just a year left on his current contract with Chelsea and at 36, is an experienced player. But is he the right man for West Ham?
Caballero And His History:
After spending three productive seasons at Malaga, where he managed 117 La Liga appearances, Caballero was brought to Manchester City by the then City manager, Pellegrini. But he failed to establish himself at Etihad, making just 23 league appearances in England, before being sold to Chelsea by Pep Guardiola last summer.
He played second fiddle to Thibaut Courtois, making just three league appearances, all late in the season. He was used regularly in the FA Cup, where Chelsea won the final, and the League Cup, and has shown that he is still capable of competing at the highest level.
He has recently broken into the Argentine national side and is expected to be the first choice under the bar for the side, in the absence of Sergio Romero in Russia.
Known for his reflexes and ability to save shots from close range, Caballero is positionally astute and is quick off his line. He is hardly prone to errors, loves to keep it simple and though has to improve on his handling, is a consistent shot-stopper, many clubs would like to have in their side.
Right Man For Pellegrini?
The Hammers have seen Joe Hart move back to Manchester City and are also getting ready to part ways with Adrian, who is wanted in Spain. This leaves the club with no senior options for the GK role and Caballero would probably walk into the first team.
Pellegrini, who has already worked with the player in their time at Etihad, reportedly trusts him to be the first choice for the league next season, meaning that he will now look to spend on a young goalkeeper, who can cement his place in the side in years to come.
It is clear that the former City manager is planning for the future and signing Caballero and bringing in a backup who can act as an understudy makes a lot of sense for the club.
