Why West Ham United must go all out to land Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in the summer
West Ham United are understood to be harbouring an interest in Marseille star Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa but they will face competition from a trio of Premier League clubs.
As per latest reports, the likes of Newcastle United, West Bromwich Albion and Watford are also gunning for his signature and it will be interesting to see how this battle plays out once the summer window commences. However, given the requirement at West Ham, David Moyes must do everything he can to sign the 22-year-old midfielder.
Anguissa has played a key role in helping the Ligue 1 club firmly establish themselves at the third spot in the league standings. In fact, they are just one point of shy of defending champions AS Monaco, in the second place, and are in the reckoning for a Champions League spot as well.
Rudi Garcia’s men have looked a lot more solid and dangerous in Anguissa’s presence and he has been arguably their best player throughout the season so far. Hence, he will not come cheap but when one looks at his skills, it is clear that he could solve a lot of the Hammers’ problems.
A defensive midfielder by trade, Anguissa can also play the role of a central midfielder. When the Hammers were hit by an injury crisis recently, it became evident that they will need a solid new midfield addition over the summer and to that end, the Cameroon international seems like the ideal choice. W
est Ham have also struggled for pace in the middle of the park. Both Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate have been influential for the club but to have a young pair of legs in the midfield could remarkably improve the Hammers’ performances on the whole.
Also, due to the lack of pace, West Ham have often done poorly against teams that employ speed in their game. Anguissa, meanwhile, has played the entire 90 minutes for Marseille on several occasions during which he covered the pitch with absolutely no signs of tiredness or exhaustion. In addition to that, he is also extremely tough to beat in one-on-one situations.
Furthermore, another issue that has plagued the Hammers this season is their obvious lack of defensive solidity. Even at times when they looked like the ones in charge, the Hammers were let down by a leaky defence.
As much as Anguissa is speedy and creative, he is also an excellent tackler and is a tough presence in the midfield. Having him would boost their strength at the back while also adding a protective layer to shield the defence line. Hence, the Hammers must do everything they can to acquire Anguissa’s signature over the summer.