David Moyes will be hoping to impress the Hammers hierarchy in the final year of his contract at the London Stadium and continuing his outstanding work in the transfer market would undoubtedly help towards the Scot earning himself an extension. In just half a season, the former Everton, Manchester United and Sunderland manager has already bagged two January bargains in the form of Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek.
The duo played a huge role in saving the Hammers from the looming threat of relegation, with Bowen playing four assists in the last seven Premier League matches. Meanwhile, the Czech Republic midfielder notched three goals which helped to ensure his loan move to East London would become permanent, due to an obligation to buy.
Bowen and Soucek cost £20m and £19.1m respectively, and it appears that Moyes is on the hunt for more bargains to bring to the London Stadium, as the Irons have been linked with a move for Sheffield United’s John Lundstram. The Blades midfielder is valued at £7.2m (Transfermarkt). Still, after he scored five goals in his debut Premier League season, the 26-year-old midfielder could offer significantly more to the Hammers than his valuation suggests.
Sheffield United’s number seven also provided three assists during the last campaign and featured in all but four of Chris Wilder’s side’s 38 top-flight matches, highlighting his remarkable consistency at central midfield. Overall Lundstram directly contributed to eight of Sheffield’s 39 goals, meaning he had a hand in an incredible 20 per cent of their league strikes.
Only Hammers strikers Michail Antonio, ten, and Sebastien Haller, seven, found the net more frequently than the Blades’ midfielder, and Lys Mousset was the only Sheffield United player with more goals and assists combined, ten.
Another boost for the Irons is the fact that Lundstram has been negotiating a new deal at Bramall Lane for almost a year, with Wilder publicly stating the latest offer was “take it or leave it”. It’s even been suggested that the 26-year-old may have been placed on the Blades’ transfer list.
If Lundstram is available close to his £7.2m valuation (Transfermarkt), then West Ham should not hesitate to move for the central midfielder. He has a season of top-flight experience under his belt and would improve Moyes’ depth in the engine room.
