When you look at Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham United team right now, it’s clear to see one area where we are desperately lacking.
Julen Lopetegui took over as the new West Ham head coach four months ago, and he made nine big summer signings.
However, there is a gaping hole in the squad right now that Lopetegui and Tim Steidten inexplicably failed to address back in the summer.
Our central midfield is desperately lacking a powerful, box-to-box ball carrier.
We have never addressed our weakness in that department since Declan Rice left.
Youssouf Fofana was there for the taking in the summer of 2023, but David Moyes insisted on bringing in James Ward-Prowse instead.
However, the Scot is gone now, and Lopetegui’s first port of call in the summer should have been to add some energy, dynamism and athleticism to his engine room at the London Stadium.
In fairness to the Hammers head coach, it seems like he tried to do exactly that…
Two players Julen Lopetegui wanted to sign for West Ham
Things could have been very different for the Hammers this season, had Lopetegui been able to get deals over the line for two of his prime transfer targets.
Now it has been claimed that he desperately wanted two players in particular.
Unfortunately, he was unable to get either deal done.
Aleix Garcia and N’Golo Kante were Lopetegui’s two prime transfer targets in the summer, according to a report from The Athletic.
However, the Hammers were unable to get deals for either over the line.
Garcia and Kante would undoubtedly have given us something extra, but at 27 and 33 respectively it hardly would have been forward-thinking recruitment would it?
Don’t get me wrong, I feel like both players would have been strong additions to Lopetegui’s ranks for the here and now.
But I would much prefer us to head down a similar recruitment route to Brighton, whereby we identify stars of the future, before they become out of our reach.
I think it’s the most sustainable model to follow.
Julen Lopetegui wanted Aleix Garcia and N’Golo Kante at West Ham, but he ended up signing free agent Guido Rodriguez instead.
That could end up being the business that costs the 58-year-old his job at the London Stadium, regardless of whether the failed deals were his fault or not.
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