West Ham United are reportedly the latest club linked with a move for Bacary Sagna, as his free agent status starts to gain huge mileage every week. Full-back has been a crisis position for some clubs this summer and the inflated market made it more difficult to sort it out.
Sagna’s availability has led many clubs to take notice, which includes the likes of Premier league side Crystal Palace and Arsenal, Turkish clubs Bursaspor and Besiktas, Ligue1 club Marseille and Liga NOS side Sporting CP. While Sagna has rejected a move to newly promoted side Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea pulled out the plug at the last moment as manager Antonio Conte pushed a move for Davide Zappacosta instead.
While West Ham holds a respect and stature among the available suitors, their ability to pay his wages also remains a huge factor. The former Manchester City player obviously had a hefty wage structure and wouldn’t be willing to cut down on it much, in choosing his next destination.
And although the deal doesn’t look a win-win f0r the Hammers, they are out of options at the moment, apart from the experienced Pablo Zabaleta and young Sam Byram in the right-back’s role. Byram will be suitable on the offensive as a wing-back with his good pace but lacks experience, while Zabaleta runs out of breath quite early in the game at 32.
Defensive midfielder Cheikhou Kouyaté was the right back for the Hammers last season deputizing for the injured Byram and Alvaro Arbeloa. Sagna can be a good fit though, as the French international despite 34, seems to retain the defensive solidity and tireless work rate that he showed at Arsenal.
More than anything else, he will bring chunks of experience to the side. Since moving to Arsenal in 2007, he has made 285 appearances for the North London club. For Manchester City too, he has 83 games under his belt in all competition, after leaving Arsenal in 2014.
West Ham have started the season in the worst way possible, losing all the opening three games so far. Any kind of upgrade, minor or major, would be helpful for manager Slaven Bilic. However, he will have to act fast as Palace remain keen on the player after they reportedly left young goalie Kleton Perntreou to add one more player to the 25-man squad.
And Bookmakers BetStars have reported that Manchester United and Arsenal are still weighing their pros and cons before getting him. So should Bilic offer him a deal quickly?
