OPINION
West Ham must hijack Fulham’s pursuit of defensive midfielder Ole Selnaes as he is exactly the type of player Manuel Pellegrini needs to welcome to the London Stadium before the transfer window shuts.
The Hammers desperately lack a top-quality defensive midfielder who would add a steely presence to the heart of their team and would regularly win the battle for the ball in midfield for them.
It was claimed by TEAMtalk on Monday that the Hammers’ Premier League rivals Fulham had suffered a set-back in their pursuit of Saint-Etienne midfielder Selnaes as their loan proposal for him had been rejected.
However the football outlet reported that the Ligue 1 side would only considering getting rid of Selnaes on a permanent basis and the Cottagers were willing to consider submitting an offer to sign him permanently.
While the Cottagers think about whether to submit a bid for Selnaes, the Hammers should sneak in front of them in the queue for the highly-rated 24-year-old and secure his services for themselves.
Selnaes has all the attributes needed to be a great midfield enforcer as not only is he a fantastic tackler and protector of the ball, he is able to read the game so well that he is a master when it comes to intercepting his opposition’s passes.
The 24-year-old, who has 17 caps for Norway, is also not afraid to put his body on the line for the cause and is regularly seen charging down his opponent’s shots.
Selanes proved how great he can be for a side last season as he put in several dominant displays for Saint-Etienne in his 29 outings for them to help their cause.
The midfield enforcer is also likely to get better given his age so would be a long-term solution to the Hammers’ issue regarding their lack of a high-quality defensive midfielder.
Given that he is already an impressive midfield enforcer, the fact there is a window of opportunity for a side to hijack Fulham’s attempts to get him and Pellegrini’s clear need for a defensive midfielder then it would be a smart move by the Hammers if they secure Selnaes’ services.
