West Ham United have tracked Club Brugge forward Noa Lang “for a long time”, with speculation around his future pointing him in the direction of the London Stadium.
What’s the word?
That is according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who has said that the 23-year-old has been on the Hammers’ radar for some time, with the club having contemplated a move for the Netherlands international in the previous transfer window.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said: “I didn’t see the exact link, but I know that he has been on their list.
“He was over the summer for sure, I know that there was a potential they would go for him, and they decided not to. But he’s someone they’ve tracked for a long time, and a lot of teams have.”
Tracked for a long time
Lang is currently one of the most prominent creative assets in the European football landscape, having garnered 24 attacking returns last season for Club Brugge in the form of nine goals and 15 assists.
Although injury has so far prevented him from featuring in his club’s surprisingly strong Champions League campaign this time around, the above figures show that he is an asset who knows how to navigate the ball in the final third, and he could come in and fix one glaring issue at the London Stadium.
The Irons have created just four ‘big chances’ in the 2022/23 Premier League, the joint-fewest of any team in the division. By contrast, Lang created 19 ‘big chances’ last season for Brugge, and a staggering 70 chances overall in the Belgian top flight.
That would place him at the very top of the Hammers’ squad for both of these metrics, with Pablo Fornals coming closest to that total with 48 chances created in the Premier League last season.
Lang’s presence would be truly appreciated by Gianluca Scamacca, who would hugely benefit from a burst of creativity in a move which could see the Italian explode into prominence at West Ham if he has the Dutchman loading the bullets for him so frequently.