The latest West Ham transfer rumours suggest that the club’s two midfield loan targets are Chelsea’s Carney Chukwuemeka and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
While this hasn’t been confirmed by any club sources speaking to Claret & Hugh, the speculation appears reasonable—particularly in the case of Chukwuemeka.
However, these two names being floated over the past few days raise the question: are West Ham targeting first-team players or simply squad fillers?
Make no mistake, the Hammers urgently need midfielders who can slot into the starting XI and hold their place. Far too many of West Ham’s summer signings required time to acclimatise to the Premier League, with only Max Kilman and Aaron Wan-Bissaka becoming regular starters immediately after their arrivals.
The club already has several players warming the bench and rarely featuring. Director of Football Tim Steidten has been tasked with compiling a list of recommendations, which will ultimately be decided upon by the Hammers board.
What West Ham need more than anything is a mobile midfielder who can step straight into the team and transform an area of the pitch where they are consistently overrun.
While I believe the latest players linked with the club are decent, I’m uncertain whether they would be picked ahead of Tomas Soucek or Edson Álvarez. If they wouldn’t start, there’s really no point in signing them at all.
