West Ham United clinched a significant victory in their last match against Arsenal as the Hammers look to make a mark in the Premier League this season. However, their campaign has been disrupted due to injuries as Manuel Pellegrini tries to keep his squad fully fit and strong with the business end of the season yet to come.
There have been problems in every department this season, with more than six first-team players not being able to make it into the starting lineup. One such player is the centre back Fabian Balbuena, who is currently recovering from a knee injury and is not expected to be back very soon.
This has put the pressure on the veteran Chilean to get some reinforcements to stabilise his defence. According to French media outlet L’Equipe, Pellegrini has got his eyes on the Le Havre defensive ace Harold Moukoudi, who is currently plying his trade for the Ligue 2 outlet Le Havre.
The report also states that the player is currently in a contract stand-off and could depart the club on a free transfer. The player has shown his talent for his side this season in 17 matches and has also notched up two goals. The 21-year-old is considered as one of brightest young prospects in the second division of French football and could be a future star for France.
With Angelo Ogbonna not being able to fill the shoes of Balbuena and Winston Reid, there is an urgent requirement of a player in the West Ham lineup who would be able to hold the backline together with Issa Diop. Reece Oxford is an exciting prospect for sure, but he is still not preferred by Pellegrini to shoulder the responsibilities of strengthening the backline.
Moukoudi, who is a solidly built player (height of 6’3″) could be the solution for West Ham’s defensive woes at the moment. Though the starlet has no prior experience of playing in the Premier League, Pellegrini could use his height and physicality to strengthen his backline.
The Chilean gaffer is known to be one of the wisest managers in the Premier League and has led the Hammers to a comfortable position in the league table this season.
However, the lack of quality players could be a significant detriment for his side in finishing the season on a high. It would certainly be a risk for him to bring an untested talent like Moukoudi to the London Stadium, but once the 21-year-old settles into the side, he could turn out to be a risk well taken by the east London side.
