With the late departure out on loan of Nayef Aguerd on deadline day in August, it is well known that West Ham’s management are keeping everything crossed that international breaks, which are notorious for causing player injuries, pass without problems. Konstantinos Mavropanous, West Ham’s ‘third man’ in the defensive pecking order and Edson Alvarez appeared to negotiate their respective full games (thirty minutes in Alvarez’ case) without alarm.
Because make no mistake West Ham’s defensive resources are wafer thin. We have already seen Alvarez utilised as a third centre back. That didn’t end well. With just three senior centre backs, West Ham are in a precarious position, so when news comes of The Irons renewing interest in bringing another defender to the club it has to have both credibility and merit.
Especially if it is a defender who can play on the left as cover for Emerson: Again we have seen Wan-Bissaka pressed into emergency cover as a left back and Mavropanos as a right back.
All of which sticking plaster-squad shaping is hardly in line with Lopetegui’s aim to ‘have two players for every position’.
One of the failed bids in the summer was for 23 year-old Dutchman Jayden Oosterwolde. Fenerbahce – based, versatile being able to play at left back and centre back, the attraction of bringing a player to London Stadium who can play across the back line is clear to see.
According to sportwitness.co.uk ‘s report from Friday, The Hammers are ‘preparing a bid’ based on what they’ve heard from ‘Turkish media’ sources.
As Gonzo covered on Saturday, José Mourinho will be trying to stop his young defender leaving. What wasn’t discussed at the time was that the issue making a second challenge is the clause in Oosterwolde’s contract giving his previous club Parma 30% of any sell-on value achieved over €7 million. It would take a serious offer indeed to make any sense for the Turkish side to sell him on.
Whether it be Oosterwolde, or Milan-based Fikayo Tomori, The Irons are expending a lot of energy trying to replace Nayef Aguerd with another Aguerd- level defender. The alternative is of course, to simply cross everything, wait for the Summer and bring Aguerd back after his loan spell away during which he seems to have rediscovered his form. Not popular with Aguerd who said ‘good-bye’ in a manner which suggested he’s not planning on a return to London – but really, sometimes it is a case of ‘better the devil you know’.