OPINION
West Ham United’s troubles at left back have been well documented this season, with neither Arthur Masuaku or Aaron Cresswell able to consistently impress at the position.
So far Masuaku has been new boss Manuel Pellegrini’s main man, but the Chilean should be looking outside the club for a solution to the problem, with Everton stalwart Leighton Baines a low cost option for the club.
The Hammers invested massively in the first team squad this summer and have increased the quality in the squad hugely as a result, but left back is the one glaring hole in the team.
Because of the scale of the side’s spending this off season, though, the board might be looking to be a little more frugal in the next couple of windows.
Baines would be perfect in that respect because his contract at Goodison Park, worth a reported £70,000-per-week [Source: Spotrac], expires at the end of the season.
At 33 years of age he’s not the player he once was, but the former England international is still a high level Premier League player capable of doing a solid job on a week to week basis.
He surely still has a couple more years in him, and his signing would be similar to the club’s pick-up of Pablo Zabaleta from Manchester City for free a year ago. The Argentinian has been terrific for West Ham since joining, and Baines could have a similar effect for Pellegrini’s team.
His delivery from set pieces are, on their own, worth their weight in gold, while his crossing has always been one of the finest attributes in his locker.
Defensively, though, he is a cut above both Cresswell and, particularly, Masuaku. Signing him for free next summer, or for a reduced fee in January, seems like a no brainer, and the Hammers should be looking to get it done.
