Asmir Begovic of Bournemouth during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and AFC Bournemouth at Molineux on December 15, 2018 in Wolverhampton. (Getty Images)
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West Ham’s goalkeeping woes would vanish if they sign this 32-year-old veteran star in January

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Why Asmir Begovic would be a smart signing for West Ham

According to The Sun, West Ham are one of the clubs interested in signing Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic during the January transfer window.

Asmir Begovic, 32, joined Bournemouth from Chelsea for £10million in 2017. But he fell out of favour with Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe after a series of underwhelming displays between the sticks. For regular game time, the Bosnian left the Cherries this past summer on loan to Azerbaijani club Qarabag.

The shot-stopper’s deal expires on December 31 and Begovic is keen to join a new club, on either a temporary or permanent basis, claims the Sun.

The likes of Derby County, Birmingham City and PSV Eindhoven are also monitoring the situation of Begovic, who will likely find himself behind Aaron Ramsdale, Artur Boruc and Mark Travers upon his return to Bournemouth.

Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic in action. (Getty Images)
Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic in action. (Getty Images)

West Ham want to offload Roberto in the January transfer window after a series of blunders in goal in the absence of injured first-choice shot-stopper Lukasz Fabianski.

Fabianski has been a reliable stopper for the Hammers since joining from Swansea in 2018. And the Pole’s injury absence has massively damaged Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

However, Fabianski is due to return from injury in the New Year and the East London outfit are keen to bring in an experienced stopper to provide backup and a challenge for the veteran Pole.

In that regard, Asmir Begovic would be an ideal choice for West Ham, even though he has struggled for form since moving to Bournemouth. But he has made well over 250 Premier League appearances in his career, which speaks volumes about his top-flight experience.

West Ham goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez barking orders to his teammates. (Getty Images)
West Ham goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez barking orders to his teammates. (Getty Images)

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Begovic is a Premier League title winner from his days at Chelsea where he made 33 appearances across all competitions in two seasons.

The 32-year-old is a reliable goalkeeper, who proved to be a good backup for Thibaut Courtois during his time at Chelsea. West Ham clearly need a better backup for Fabianski, and the Bosnian international could be a smart addition to their ranks.

Verdict

Pellegrini will be hoping that he does not need his second-choice once Fabianski recovers fully from injury. But having a player of Begovic’s calibre and experience in reserve would be a big boost if the Poland international suffers another significant injury. All in all, Begovic would be a straight upgrade over the error-prone Roberto.