As per one of the latest reports by Wales Online, West Ham United are pursuing Swansea City’s central defender, Alfie Mawson. Swansea City got themselves relegated to the Championship after their dismal campaign last season in the Premier League and there is no denying that a move to the London Stadium should be a tempting one for Mawson.
Under the stewardship of Manuel Pellegrini, the Hammers are breathing a new life. They endured a stuttering campaign in the league last time around and they must be aiming to better their credentials this season. Pellegrini has been playing a very active role ever since his appointment as the manager of the London based outfit as he is trying to beef up the quality of his arsenal.
The Chilean has already signed Issa Diop, Andriy Yarmolenko, Lukasz Fabianski, Jack Wilshere, Fabian Balbuena and Ryan Fredericks and Felipe Anderson is nearing a deal to sign for West Ham United for a transfer fee which is believed to be at least £40million. With the latest interest to sign Mawson, it has become evident that Pellegrini is really keen to inject more resilience to his back line.
The Irons had been chasing Newcastle United’s skipper and centre-back, Jamaal Lascelles. But the latest developments with respect to the rumour haven’t been in favour of West Ham United. The Magpies have reportedly rejected the £25million bid from Pellegrini’s camp and have made it clear that Lascelles is not for sale. Thus, this makes the need to sign someone like Mawson so very important.
The 24-year-old emerged through the youth ranks of Reading and Brentford, he failed to carve a notable place for himself in the senior side of the latter. He started to get recognized after his 2014-15 season on loan with Wycombe Wanderers, which persuaded Barnsley to sign him in the summer of 2015. The very next summer, he was signed by Swansea City and has proven to be a valuable asset for the Wales-based club.
Mawson started every league game in the top flight for the Swans last season and managed to score goals and also got an assist to his name. Besides, he made 0.8 tackle, 0.9 interceptions, 5.8 clearances and 0.8 blocks per game on an average. He is more than a decent defender and reads the game in a shrewd fashion. Moreover, owing to the experience he has accumulated, he will be a significant signing for West Ham United.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored
