West Ham United are keen on adding a midfielder and have now turned their attention towards Coventry City’s young central midfielder, Tom Bayliss, as per various reports. Birmingham Live has reported that the Hammers aren’t the only club interested in the 20-year-old midfielder though as the likes of Aston Villa, Leeds United, Everton and Liverpool are also keen on adding the central midfielder to their ranks.
The 20-year-old midfielder could be bought for a fee of around £3 million from Coventry City as per the report, which has triggered interest from a host of clubs. West Ham recently announced the signing of Spanish attacking midfielder Pablo Fornals, but want to add more players to their side.
Bayliss has been an important player for the League One side since making his debut in 2017. He has been a constant fixture in the side for the last two years, making 73 appearances and scoring 9 goals for the club. The midfielder played 41 times in the 2018-19 season, scoring thrice and completing three assists as well. The central midfielder has also represented the English U19 side twice and was a part of the 2018 UEFA European Under-19 Championship team.
The Hammers have been linked with moves for players like Andre Gomes, Kostas Fortounis, Baptiste Santamaria, and Franck Kessie in recent times.
What will he add to the club?
The Hammers will be on the lookout for a long-term replacement for captain and West Ham United legend Mark Noble, who is 32 years old now and is entering the final stretch of his incredible career with the London club.
In the long-run, Bayliss could take up the position of the West Ham captain on the pitch as he is a young player with loads of talent and potential. The youngster is a player who likes to move forward with the ball from central areas and join in on the attack. While he may not be a hard-tackling midfielder like Noble, Bayliss possesses the ability to move the ball upfield and make things happen in the final third.
He is a player that can chip in with a few assists and goals each season from midfield, and with certain improvements in his game, especially in the physical aspects, he could become a fine player who can control and boss the midfield area and under Pellegrini, he is expected to take his game in that direction.