Manuel Pellegrini
According to a report from the Sun, West Ham are ready to give Manuel Pellegrini a huge transfer kitty but want to get rid of their top earners this summer. One of them is Pedro Obiang, who has been at the London stadium for four years.
Obiang, 26, has made 19 Premier League outings this season, largely benefitting from Jack Wilshere’s injury problems.
Wilshere joined West Ham on a free transfer from Arsenal in the summer amidst a lot of fanfare but has made just five senior appearances all season, struggling with an ankle problem that has plagued his once-promising career.
With Wilshere injury-prone, Carlos Sanchez on the sidelines and Obiang set to be flogged this summer, Pellegrini will be left with only two reliable central midfielders – Declan Rice and Mark Noble.
Rice has established himself in the middle of the park, while captain Mark Noble partners him usually.
Truth be told, the Hammers look light as far as options in the midfield are concerned. Hence, it’s important for Pellegrini to invest in essential areas of the squad this summer.
A central midfielder has to be a priority for West Ham to compete with the likes of Rice, Noble, Sanchez and the injury-prone Wilshere next season. That being said, here are two midfield options West Ham should consider.
Jean Michael Seri signed for Fulham from OGC Nice last summer as the Cottagers spent big in the transfer window following their promotion to the Premier League. However, things haven’t gone according to the plan for Fulham and they look likely to head back to the Championship again.
Seri has done very little to justify his price-tag of around £25million at Craven Cottage. Yet, he remains a quality midfielder, who with the right mix of players around of him, can certainly excel in the Premier League.
West Ham should eye a move for the Ivorian after Fulham’s relegation. In Seri, Pellegrini would get a highly energetic player who is an excellent passer and crosser of the ball, and can play in a variety of positions across the midfield.
Sky Sports linked West Ham with a move for Seri before he joined Fulham and it’s time for the Hammers to revive their interest in the player and get him this time around.
Luka Milivojevic has been a consistent performer for Crystal Palace since signing from Olympiacos in January 2017. He has played 85 times for the Eagles in all competitions, scoring 21 goals.
A classy operator from the base of the midfield, the Serbian is an excellent passer of the ball and uses his tenacity and tackling skills to do the dirty job. Milivojevic can pick a pass and is an expert set-piece taker, which makes him a threat from free-kicks, corners and spot-kicks.
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Thus, the addition of Milivojevic would give Pellegrini a lot of options in the midfield and thanks to the Serbian’s versatility, West Ham’s midfield will have a lot of depth. But to persuade Palace to sell one of their prized assets, West Ham will have to table a huge offer.
Nevertheless, if they do get the Crystal Palace star, West Ham’s midfield would be a solid unit next season.
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