As West Ham United gear up for another busy summer transfer window, with or without David Moyes, the Hammers could reportedly splash the cash to land an in-demand midfielder.
West Ham transfer news
It comes as little surprise to see those at the London Stadium turning their attention towards a fresh face at the heart of their midfield, as they look to finish the job they started last summer by rebuilding in the middle of the park. Some may have believed that Kalvin Phillips was the player on course to seal that move, but given that he has since struggled on loan, West Ham could look elsewhere in regards to long-term additions.
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Phillips is yet to win a Premier League game for the Hammers and got off to a nightmare start on his debut, giving the ball away for Dominic Solanke’s opening goal in a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth. Things haven’t exactly improved from there, either. Since that game, the England international has been involved in a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United and a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal, before being sent off in a 2-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest.
Doing nothing to help his case when it comes to a permanent deal, the London club have seemingly turned their attention towards Portugal. According to Record via The 4th Official, West Ham are among the clubs interested in signing Alan Varela this summer. The Hammers are reportedly in a three-way battle with Manchester United and Aston Villa for the Porto midfielder’s signature in what could be a tight race.
Previous reports suggested that the Porto man has a release clause of €70m (£60m), with Liverpool and Manchester City also interested in January. That said, it could be an interesting few months for those at the London Stadium if they decide to push on for Varela, who helped Porto to a Champions League first-leg win over Arsenal in the week.
“Rolls-Royce” Varela could be an upgrade on Phillips
If Varela is a serious option for West Ham, then the numbers suggest that they should avoid signing Phillips on a permanent deal this summer and instead put their efforts into welcoming the 22-year-old Argentine.
Stats per 90 (via FBref) | Alan Varela | Kalvin Phillips |
|---|---|---|
Progressive Passes | 6.33 | 6.06 |
Dispossessed | 0.34 | 1.52 |
Blocks | 1.84 | 0.91 |
Key Passes | 0.82 | 0 |
If the Hammers can negotiate a lower fee away from the midfielder’s reported £60m release clause, then the deal could become viable. But it remains to be seen whether they have the financial power to secure Varela’s signature by triggering that clause. It is a price that Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig could certainly back, given the praise that he has handed the Argentine in the past, posting on X:
With that said, it’s no wonder that the Porto man is so in demand, creating an interesting saga to keep an eye on this summer.
