OPINION
West Ham will regret failing to win the reported hunt for defender Jannik Vestergaard as the centre-back will be an impressive force for Southampton next season.
The Hammers were in the race to sign the 6ft 6in tall centre-back (Source: Transfermarkt), as reported by Sky Sports, but it has since been confirmed that the Saints have successfully signed the player from Borussia Monchengladbach.
Mark Hughes’ side confirmed on Friday via the club’s official website that the 25-year-old defender had put pen to paper on a four-year deal with the club to become the Saints’ fourth signing of the summer so far.
Vestergaard would have been a wonderful signing for Manuel Pellegrini to make this summer as not only is he in need of another new centre-back, he only cost the Saints £18million (Source: Daily Echo).
The Hammers are thought to have made Swansea City’s Alfie Mawson their priority defensive transfer target, as stated by Wales Online, with the Swans wanting £20million for him.
While there appears to be only a £2million difference in valuation, it’s worth noting that according to Wales Online’s report, Mawson has a host of admirers that will no doubt cause his price tag to go even higher.
While Mawson may have Premier League experience, Vestergaard would have been the better signing to make.
The colossus Danish defender has a no-nonsense style when it comes to defending which the Hammers would have benefited from and despite only being 25-years-old has plenty of top-flight experience.
Vestergaard has played 185 times in the Bundesliga and it’s easy to see how the player’s giant stature and tough tackling ability would have seen him able to keep the Hammers’ opponents in his pocket.
However the Saints will now benefit from his talent instead and this will cause the decision not to successfully snap him up to haunt the club in the near future.
News of the Hammers’ failure to win Vestergaard is only made worse as it follows news that Winston Reid will be on the sidelines for several months due to injury, as confirmed by the Hammers’ site, so Pellegrini is now a centre-back down with weeks to go before the season starts.
Therefore missing out on Vestergaard will come back to haunt the Hammers as not only will he excel at the Saints, the Hammers are currently on course to pay a higher fee for a less talented centre-back.
