A Transfer Target West Ham Should Consider

With the confirmation West Ham United have signed priority target Andy Carroll, as well as the likes of Razvan Rat, Adrian and a slight eye turn to the future with signings Danny Whitehead from Stockport County and Jordan Brown from Arsenal, now joining the ranks at Upton Park, who will be next to sign for the Hammers?

At this time of year players are reaching the end of their contracts, with some signing new deals or deciding to go elsewhere being signed on the cheap by other clubs. There are also those who wish to run down the rest of their contracts and those who don’t get offered new deals, which means a lot of talent will be there for the picking come July 1^st and we all know Big Sam loves a freebie.

I’ve decided to focus on one free agent who has always caught my eye with his magical left foot. That is CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda, he can operate all across midfield, often being played as a central attacking midfielder or wide man.

The twenty-seven year old has been on the radar of many top clubs for many years, with teams from the Premier League, Bundesliga and La Liga all keeping tabs on the talented player known as ‘Emperor Keisuke’, amongst old team mates.

Honda is a player known for his set-piece ability and his tendency to attempt audacious, long-range shots well outside of the penalty area. He is a player that is full of flair and great ball control and will happily stride at defenders with confidence, striking fear against his opposition as he can beat his man but also try the unexpected from various position on the field.

If Honda were to sign for us, he would certainly take over the responsibility of corners and free kicks, as he has proved throughout his career this is one area that he is gifted in. This would also put some fans at rest, who might feel Mark Noble is far too frustrating on the dead ball duties and give us that pinpoint delivery we need, as well as the possibility of a goal threat.

With the likes of Mathew Jarvis cutting in from the left, and this man cut in from the right, it would create great balance to the side, as well as provide the option for Big Sam to rotate the pair during the game. Jarvis has proved he is one of the best crossers in Europe and with a player like Honda on the opposite flank it would without question improve the number of crosses going into the box for Andy Carroll to get on the end of, but also offer us a different and less predictable route to split the opposition.

After successful spells with Nagoya Grampus in the J-League and with the Dutch Eredivisie side VVV Venlo, before joining CSKA Moskva in Russia. It is expected that he will want to test himself in one of the world’s best leagues whether it be the Premier League no one knows. There is no doubt he is a Champions League standard player and we will face stiff competition from higher ranked clubs around the world. However, without attempting to clinch his signature, we will never know and we could well be left settling for an average Joe and miss a great opportunity to improve the side on the cheap.

Follow me on Twitter @JimboWHUFC77