OPINION
The goalkeeping situation at West Ham United this season has been an absolute mess. Number one Lukasz Fabianski’s injury against Bournemouth in September has ended up being the death knoll for the Hammers’ prospects this season.
That tells you how important the Poland international is to his team, while also shedding some light on how woeful some of his teammates – and manager Manuel Pellegrini – have been this campaign.
However, it’s clear that the east London outfit need to sort out better back-up behind Fabianski come the January transfer window. This is something they abundantly failed to do last summer.
It was no surprise, then, to see reliable Hammers news source ExWHUemployee reveal on his personal Twitter account on Sunday that the Irons are targeting Jack Butland, Darren Randolph and Asmir Begovic to help them out between the sticks.
For most West Ham fans, the number one choice there is their former shot-stopper Randolph. For former England international Darren Bent, though, Begovic is the man Pellegrini should be looking to swoop for.
“And for me, it would be a great signing if they could go out and get Begovic as he has done some good things,” the Sky Sports pundit told Football Insider.
‘Has done’ some good things; the key thing there is the past tense Bent’s used. Begovic’s best days are very much behind him at this point, hence why he’s out on loan in Azerbaijan with Qarabag at this moment in time.
This is a man who has, over the past couple of years, lost his starting spot at Bournemouth to the likes of Artur Boruc, the then-teenage Mark Travers and now Aaron Ramsdale.
He’s not going to sort out the Hammers’ goalkeeping issues, while he probably wouldn’t be happy playing second fiddle to Fabianski at this stage of his career either.
No, Bent has got this all wrong, and he’s surely kidding himself. A West Ham swoop for Begovic this January would be nothing short of bizarre.
