Despite nine signings in the Summer, West Ham are a mess. The emphasis on ageing players either on ‘free’ or loan deals in the Hammers midfield has been found out. Now replying on loanee Carlos Soler, Tomas Soucek, out of form Lucas Paquetá, unsuited Guido Rodriguez and yellow card liability Edson Alvarez, it is clear the Hammers’ one dimensional options don’t work in either direction: Going forward they lack creativity with the exception of just one through pass from Soler to thread in Wan-Bissaka on goal against Arsenal.
Going backwards, in defence the Hammers’ midfield options are too slow to screen the defence properly and have resulted in calamitous possession turnovers – usually but not exclusively, recently, from Lucas Paquetá who is a shadow of his former self.
So, when news comes again of a possible change of heart from Manchester City over their young midfielder James McAtee, we all sit up and take notice.
According to an ‘exclusive’ – in givemesport.com, Manchester City’s slide down the table needs cash spending on bolstering the squad- which would make youngsters like McAtee even lower in the pecking order, hence his desire to leave and the club’s reconsidering his future:”West Ham and Crystal Palace are desperate to have the chance to hold talks over a mid-season deal for McAtee, according to GMS sources, and the London rivals are growing in hope that Manchester City are entertaining the possibility of sanctioning their academy graduate’s departure.”
James McAtee- likely to be in demand in January
Creative, young, fast – everything that is missing at West Ham in the middle of the pitch. Tim Steidten could convert a lot of ‘undecided’ Hammers fans if he could bring McAtee to London Stadium. As we know, Lucas Paquetá is not, according to the club, for sale in any circumstances. But, if the option comes up to create some kind of deal plus cash with the two players swapping clubs – amidst Paquetá’s yellow card betting crisis- that would test Steidten’s negotiating skills to the limit.
