Why Bournemouth beating West Ham to complete this £20m deal could help them achieve a top-8 finish

Why Bournemouth must beat West Ham to sign Jonjo Shelvey

According to the Daily Mail, West Ham are plotting a January move for Newcastle United star Jonjo Shelvey.

Jonjo Shelvey, 26, joined Newcastle United from Swansea City in 2016 and subsequently went on to play a crucial role in the club’s return to the Premier League during his debut campaign at St. James’ Park. He proved to be an integral member of Rafael Benitez’s squad last season as well, as the Magpies finished 10th in the Premier League.

However, the 6-cap England international has massively struggled for playing time this season, picking up a thigh injury at the start of November that has restricted him to just 11 Premier League games. Despite his fitness struggles though, West Ham are vying for his signature this month.

The report adds that Newcastle are reluctant to sell Jonjo Shelvey, who is valued at around £20million. For this price, Bournemouth must try beating West Ham to the signature of the English midfielder.

After a bright start to the 2018/19 campaign, Bournemouth have gone off the boil in the last couple of months. The performance levels have mightily dipped, while injuries to key players have also disrupted the side’s campaign.

The Cherries have been hit by injury worries as a number of their key players, including the likes of Lewis Cook and Simon Francis, are long-term casualties. The injury to Lewis Cook, in particular, has made it necessary for Eddie Howe to add a quality player to his midfield to increase the squad depth, and Jonjo Shelvey would fit the bill perfectly.

Jonjo Shelvey is a technically-gifted midfielder who is adept at initiating attacks from the middle of the park with his terrific passing range. The England international can keep possession well, control games from the midfield and break up the opposition attacks as well. He can be nasty with his challenges and get sent off for an incident but on his day, the 26-year-old can win games on his own.

The former Liverpool and Swansea City man’s energy to drive his team forward and his passing abilities are second to none, while he can also come up with long-range scorchers. Moreover, Shelvey’s awareness to step back and take a moment before dictating the play adds to his value.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the Englishman would be the perfect player to partner the combative Jefferson Lerma in the Bournemouth engine room.

It must be noted that Jonjo Shelvey would be a brilliant addition to the Bournemouth squad and there is a great chance he could take his game to the next level under the watchful eyes of Eddie Howe.

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The lack of squad depth has affected Bournemouth’s results in the latter stages of the season and it would be a wise decision for them to get someone like Shelvey into the side. The 26-year-old Englishman’s acquisition could just be the boost the Cherries need to secure a top-eight finish this season.