Why Marco Benassi to West Ham would be an ideal January move

Back in April 2018, Fiorentina midfielder Marco Benassi was linked with a move to West Ham.

A product of the Inter Milan youth system, Marco Benassi, 25, managed just six appearances at the club from 2012-2014.

He was shipped out on loan to Livorno before being sold to Torino in 2014. The Italian enjoyed three solid years with Torino before sealing a switch to Fiorentina in the summer of 2017.

The central midfielder, who joined his current club for around €10m, has played over 70 games in all competitions across two seasons for Fiorentina.

With Marco Benassi having impressed for La Viola since joining in 2017, West Ham should reignite their interest in the midfielder during the January transfer window.

West Ham have won just once in their last five Premier League games, resulting in their drop to the bottom half of the table. The Hammers have lacked the energy and cohesion in their play of late, with the midfield pairing of Declan Rice and Mark Noble not up to the mark.

Noble is 32 and slowly coming to the end of his career. He is already past his prime and West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini should start looking out for his skipper’s replacement.

With Jack Wilshere failing to make a mark at the club and Carlos Sanchez being one of the worst buys in Pellegrini’s tenure, a player like Benassi would be welcome at the club.

A technically gifted, hard-working and versatile box-to-box midfielder, Benassi can play in various roles across the midfield as well as a wing-back when required.

The 25-year-old has been a consistent scorer of goals for Fiorentina and his majority of appearances have come in the centre of the midfield. Besides adding stability and reliability to the central midfield, he will also bring balance to the West Ham side that is attack-heavy.

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There is a lack of depth as far as the Hammers’ midfield is concerned and thus, it makes complete sense for Pellegrini to recruit Benassi in January. The Italian would be a long-term replacement for Noble, whilst filling the void left by Pedro Obiang in the squad.

Verdict

With an eye for goal as well as for a pass, Benassi could be a fantastic option for West Ham as they bid to get into the top six this season.