OPINION
West Ham must ensure they beat Everton to the services of Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater as he ticks all the boxes when it comes to the club’s hunt for a defensive midfielder capable of excelling straight away at the London Stadium.
The Daily Mirror reported on Wednesday that the Hammers were set to battle their Premier League rivals for the 5ft 8in midfielder (Source: Transfermarkt) as the Blues were looking to loan him out after deeming him surplus to requirements.
Maniel Pellegrini must ensure his club win the race to borrow Drinkwater’s services as his squad are currently lacking options when it comes to deciding who to play in the holding midfield role.
The current Blues midfielder is the perfect option to take for several reasons.
Drinkwater is an excellent passer of the ball as he is able to be one step ahead of his opponents due to his exquisite ability to read the game and this sees him dictate the tempo of games for his side.
The 28-year-old is also a competent tackler of the ball and would easily add an extra layer of protection to the Hammers’ defence if recruited which should see them conceded less goals than last season.
Also Drinkwater knows exactly what it takes to excel in the Premier League as he has not only won the league title but has featured 99 times in England’s top-flight, this means that he will be able to settle in quickly at the London Stadium and demonstrate his skill-set as soon as he is recruited.
Another reason why the 28-year-old would be the ideal solution for the Hammers lack of holding midfielder would be due to the fact he will be chomping at the bit and have a point to prove after a disappointing spell at Stamford Bridge.
As the Mirror’s report stated Chelsea investing £35million in recruiting Drinkwater only last summer and after only featuring 23 times for them, the club are already trying to ship him out.
The tough-tackling midfielder no doubt will feel obliged to remind people of his tremendous talents and would look to make a noticeably positive impact for whichever side he ends up joining this summer.
Therefore given his ability, the Hammers’ need for a defensive midfielder, his Premier League experience and the fact he will be eager to impress then Pellegrini’s team must win the race to borrow his services as he ticks all the boxes.
