Reports that David Moyes has identified Olivier Giroud as a possible January target are wide of the mark.
ClaretandHugh understands that the manager’s first priority will be in midfield where he requires a strong running and aggressive operator.
The Giroud suggestion arose from the tabloid press earlier today and was immediately dismissed by one Hammers insider to us as “kite flying a name that’s been out there before.”
Moyes – like the vast majority of us fans has seen immediately – that our lack of pace and power in midfield is the central problem in the Hammers set-up at the moment.
We were told by an insider on e mail: “It’s a grafting, aggressive, running midfielder we want, to add steel to the team which is seen as a total necessity.”
That’s where most energy will be directed initially by a manager who has a reputation for looking into the Championship from where he picked up the likes of Joleon Lescott from Wolves, Phil Jagielka from Sheffield United and John Stones from Barnsley.
Manuel Pellegrini allowed Pedro Obiang to depart without finding a replacement after Cheik Kouyate – a box to boxer – had also departed and its a gap that has never been satisfactorily