OPINION
West Ham United’s troubles in central midfield at the start of this season have been well documented, and recent results may not have solved the issue.
Mark Noble, Declan Rice and Pedro Obiang have looked a decent trio of late, but the Hammers should still be looking to upgrade the midfield in the near future.
In particular a move for Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera could be just the ticket for manager Manuel Pellegrini. There is plenty of confusion regarding the Spaniard at the moment and West Ham should be looking to capitalise.
ESPN reported in April that the 29-year-old was eager to stay at Old Trafford, but Spanish publication El Correo reported on Monday that he was set to leave United when his contract expires at the end of the season, with his former team Athletic Bilbao looking to bring him back to Spain.
But the Hammers would be fools to let the midfielder, on a reported £75,000-per-week [Source: Spotrac], escape England without a fight.
Besides the aforementioned trio, West Ham really have no strength in depth in central midfield at the moment. Recent injuries to Jack Wilshere and Carlos Sanchez have shown that the club are dangerously understaffed in the middle of the park.
Wilshere is a perennial visitor to the treatment table, while Sanchez is a limited player who isn’t the answer for the Hammers. Herrera would be an instant step up in class, and one that Pellegrini should be targeting next summer.
To bring in a player like Herrera on a free transfer would be a massive coup for the club. He is an experienced Premier League player with a winning mentality, who is good in every facet of the game.
He is dogged in his defensive duties while possessing underrated technical ability going forward. He would be a huge upgrade on what the club have in the middle of midfield at the moment, and his wages are certainly affordable for the East London outfit.
The player may prefer a move back to his former side, of course, but if Herrera wants to stay in the Premier League then West Ham should make a serious play for him next summer.
