With Freddie Potts on his way last night for a medical ahead of an expected £10million move to Club Brugge, Tomas Soucek out long term and still no sign of Soungoutou Magassa this summer, West Ham United face a sudden shortage of creativity in the centre of the pitch initiated by selling Mateus Fernandes, their one creative midfielder, to London neighbours Tottenham.
At a stroke, four of their albeit bloated midfield resources have disappeared from the team sheet. Hence the urgency for a replacement.
The bid reported last week for Celtic’s Arne Engels fell well short according to manager Martin O’Neill, but according to the Scottish newspaper thedailyrecord.co.uk,,h te Irons are preparing for another push for an agreement between the clubs, having received the player’s green light to a move to east London and the Championship:
“West Ham are preparing to slap in an improved offer for Engels.
The Championship big guns have already had two bids rejected as they fell way below Celtic’s valuation….
Potts’ sale means there’s new urgency in West Ham’s negotiations for Celtic midfielder
The Hoops knocked back Nottingham Forest in January after an offer of £20m with up to £5m in bonuses and are looking for similar numbers from the Hammers.
Engels is already down the line with personal terms and the switch is also expected to progress in the coming days.”
You’d expect, with Potts due to sign for the Belgian side today, that there really is no going back for Nuno’s recruitment team and that a deal will simply have to be struck to bring his ‘upgrade’ (with all due respect to Freddie P) to West Ham in time for the start of the Championship season.
Fingers crossed that here’s no last-minute Nottingham Forest hijack for Engels, after their well known admiration for the creative midfielder. Now that would leave West Ham up the proverbial Belgian creek without a paddle.
Would be good to see an established midfielder playing for WHU. Apparently he can play 8 or 10. If NES is serious about Orford, along with Kante that could be an interesting midfield who move the ball quickly and pose a threat.
In theory you would have 2 playmakers, that is IF manager lets Orford play more, play off Taty, Engels. That is best as 1 playmaker can get shut down more or less. If playing Chelsea, then fouled 20 times. Although with Alonso I think it will be different and they’ll become a good team.
Just to be sure to bore everyone😴, with Kilmann & Dinos I think you have 2 CBs who can step up (like Stones at MC) fill a hole if Orford goes forwards occasionally. If AWB were in the team, he could do that.