Whilst West Ham United's continued push for continental glory has brought some joy back to the London Stadium, work has already begun addressing one of the Hammers' main problem areas.
West Ham's defensive struggles
As West Ham continue their quest for successive European triumphs, there has been a bubbling undercurrent of discontent at the London Stadium following a number of disappointing results in recent weeks. The Hammers conceded fourteen goals in the five games they played last month, showing the clear need to plug West Ham's leaky defence.
West Ham receive several approaches for another player alongside Paqueta
West Ham are turning down loan bids in favour of cashing in.
ByZak AndertonMar 16, 2024
A 6-0 loss at the hands of London rivals Arsenal saw many take aim at manager David Moyes and feel that the Scotsman's time at the club was up. Whilst things have turned around in recent weeks, the Hammers' defensive record is still among one of the poorest in the division, something which the Scot's move for Kalvin Phillips in January has done nothing to fix.
Despite currently sitting seventh in the table, West Ham have conceded 49 goals this season and boast a goal difference of minus four. The Hammers are currently shipping an average of 1.75 goals per game and have the seventh-worst defensive record in the Premier League.
With the need to bolster West Ham's defensive spine a clear target for Moyes this summer, it appears that the club are once again looking to nab themselves a bargain in the form of a struggling player from the big six, just like the move for Phillips.
West Ham ready summer bid for Man Utd defender
As reported by The Sun, West Ham are plotting a fresh bid for Harry Maguire this summer. The Manchester United man has been on the Hammers' radar for some time with a number of approaches made during the early passages of the season. The outlet states that Moyes is eager to bolster the height of his defence and views the England international as the solution to this problem.
The Irons hope a mere £15m will be enough this time around, due to the player getting closer to the end of his contract (2025 + one year option) and possibly more eager to find a new permanent home.
A player who has had his fair share of struggles, Maguire has shown his class on numerous occasions. Speaking on the criticism he faces, England manager Gareth Southgate came to his defence back in September.
“He’s been an absolute stalwart for us in the second most successful England team for decades. He’s been an absolutely key part of that. I’ve talked about the importance of our senior players. He’s been crucial amongst that."
The Hammers' past approaches for the 31-year-old failed to come to fruition after disagreements over the asking price. With the defender moving to Old Trafford in a £85million move from Leicester City back in 2019, his current team were eager to recoup at least a fraction of this figure if Maguire is to leave this summer.
Maguire's contract situation now means their hand may be forced into agreeing a cut-price for the defender, with Moyes and Co hoping to pay a figure between £15million and £20million for Maguire, a clear drop compared to the fee United paid almost five years ago. The promise of greater game time and a longer contract may be what ultimately entices the defender to make the move to the capital.
