Defender clock is running out

By Dave Langton

West Ham need to buy a new defender and time is running out.

The plan, initially, was likely that Issa Diop would be allowed to leave, particularly after Nayef Aguerd arrived from Rennes.

The centre-back then promptly got injured in pre-season and a 180 happened; suddenly, Diop was a key member of the squad who could provide support and an alternative option in defence.

He was in line to start against Manchester City.

Fulham have been chasing him and he clearly made up his mind that de was desperate for the move, as a result  crying off the Manchester City game, claiming his head was not in the right place. He is not going to play for the Irons again and a deal to join the Cottagers could be sealed by the end of the week.

Now, with a clash with Nottingham Forest looming large this weekend, prior to the first leg of the Europa Conference League play-off against Viborg, time is of the essence.

The Irons have the following options to play at centre-back this weekend: Kurt Zouma, Ben Johnson, Aaron Cresswell. One of them is a centre-back, the other two are full-backs.

There have been links with a variety of centre-backs: Thilo Kehrer at PSG, free agent Dan-Axel Zagadou, Bayern Munich’s Tanguy Nianzou, even Manchester United’s Eric Bailly.

This is a symptom of the window.

David Moyes is not known as a proactive manager in the transfer market and, again, the Hammers are in a reactionary spot. A decision must be made soon but there seems to be no lead on which defender is preferred by Moyes. A bid has apparently gone in for Kehrer but there has been talk that negotiations have also been held with Zagadou.

This isn’t where the Irons need to be at this point of the window and it speaks to a larger point: There has been no real forward planning this summer.

It isn’t just a centre-back that’s needed; the Hammers need more creativity in midfield and another winger, too.

But, again, we don’t really know who the targets are, if there even are any!

There have been new signings but question marks linger over them all: Alphonse Areola was the back-up goalkeeper last season, Aguerd is injured, Maxwel Cornet impressed in a relegated team but it is not clear where he will play, Gianluca Scamacca is something of a punt, and he could be excellent, but the risk must be acknowledged, and Flynn Downes isn’t ready yet.

Targets have fallen by the wayside again and again – Filip Kostic is going to Juventus; Amadou Onana joined Everton.

Now isn’t the time to be identifying targets, now is the time to be buying them. The Irons need to get a move on.