Why Bournemouth should bid for Chris Mepham again this winter
According to reports in the Sun, Bournemouth are preparing a bid for Brentford centre-back Chris Mepham. The Championship club rejected a £10m offer from the Cherries in the summer.
However, the Premier League side are adamant to get the player and are preparing another bid in January (h/t Sun). They have made a stunning start to the season, winning 16 points from the opening eight games and currently find themselves sixth in the table.
The recent 4-0 away win to Watford clearly showed that they are a team in good shape this season. Despite their successes, Eddie Howe’s desire to further improve their centre-back position isn’t a bad choice.
Bournemouth have already conceded 12 goals, doing so at a rate of 1.5 goals per game. Given their attacking prowess on the other side of the field, they find themselves in a good position. But in the Premier League, if a team’s defence is not good, it will hurt them in the long run.
Therefore, the Cherries should re-visit their interest in Chris Mepham in the winter.
The Brentford ace has made a fantastic start to the season. Dipping into his stats from the ongoing campaign, the 20-year-old wins an average of 3.4 aerial duels per game, which is simply remarkable. It proves that he is one of the best at aerially dominating the centre-forwards and acting as a genuine threat in both boxes.
The Welshman possesses a tackle and interception rate of 1.6 and 1.7 per game respectively and has made an average of 4.8 clearances. Thus, all in all, he is a handful when it comes to defending at such a young age.
Conclusion
Signing a prolific young player from the Championship won’t be a bad option for Bournemouth. Obviously, Howe is looking to address his defence which has leaked goals. He was understandably interested in Mepham during the summer and reiterating that would make complete sense.
Read More: Bournemouth completing £4m-a-year deal for impressive Englishman is a step in the right direction
The 20-year-old is a fabulous player who could improve the Cherries’ defence. Meanwhile, his arrival in the Premier League should help him further enhance his reputation as a player. Hence, Bournemouth must make a renewed attempt to sign the player, and this time, get him over the line at Vitality Stadium.
Stats Courtesy – Whoscored.com