OPINION
Along with left back, central midfield is arguably the weakest position in West Ham United’s squad. There is a distinct lack of both quality and depth present at this moment in time.
However, the Hammers can solve both those problems with a swoop for free agent midfielder and Premier League icon John Obi Mikel, who left Chinese side Tianjin Teda by mutual consent last month.
There will be competition for the Champions League winner, of course. The Teesside Gazette reported on Tuesday that the 31-year-old returned to the North East for further talks with Championship side Middlesbrough on Monday.
West Ham, though, can surely blow Tony Pulis’s side out of the water for the midfielder. They will be able to beat them financially and also from a competitive standpoint. They can offer Mikel a return to the Premier League, which will always be more lucrative than second tier football.
The former Chelsea man, who appeared nearly 250 times in the English top flight, can still do a job in midfield, that much is certain and, as mentioned, the Hammers have a real problem in the middle of the park at the moment.
The only player who has been able to produce consistently strong performances in central midfield for West Ham this campaign is Declan Rice. Mark Noble, Pedro Obiang and Jack Wilshere have been inconsistent at best, and further reinforcement at the position could be huge for the club.
Mikel would be a perfect partner to Rice in midfield. He is capable of playing in both a defensive role – as he did for Chelsea – and a more attacking one – as with his country.
That all-round ability is ideal in a two-man central midfield. With Wilshere’s ongoing injury problems it’s always a good idea to get another central midfielder in, because having only three fit at any one time isn’t tenable in the Premier League.
Manuel Pellegrini made what now looks like a smart purchase when he picked up free agent Samir Nasri earlier this month, and he could do the same here with Mikel.
The Nigerian represents a low-risk potentially high-reward signing for the club. He wouldn’t cost a thing other than wages, so what’s stopping the Hammers from signing him?
