According to a recent report by talkSPORT, Besiktas midfielder Gary Medel will leave the Turkish club at the end of this campaign which could be a massive boost for West Ham United. The Hammers were linked with the former Cardiff City talent during the January transfer window but were not willing to pay a fee for his services. In an interview conducted back in January, the West Ham boss said, “We were interested in Gary Medel, they told us he was free but the player was not free.”
A recent report by Turkish publication Takvim has claimed that Manuel Pellegrini is prepared to reignite his interest in recruiting the Chilean international next summer.
The 31-year-old midfielder had previously played for Cardiff City in Wales and has what it takes to perform at a high level in England. Medel is a useful utility player and has proven his worth time and again which might be one of the many reasons why the Hammers are trying to recruit him to their squad.
The Santiago de Chile-born workhorse has made 28 appearances for Besiktas this term. However, his performances have been too inconsistent as the Turkish heavyweights have conceded 27 goals in 22 league matches which have seen them fall a whopping 9 points behind the Turkish Superlig leaders, Istanbul Basaksehir in the title race.
There are a lot of question marks regarding Medel’s ability to keep up a high standard of performance every week. However, his versatility is something that the Hammers can benefit from as they look to cope with injuries and suspensions better in the coming years.
The Chilean talent primarily operates as a defensive midfielder but is equally capable of filling in as a centre-back or in the right-back position. When playing with confidence, Medel is an excellent tackler in midfield and knows how to breakdown the opposition attacks. However, the Hammers already have Declan Rice and Mark Noble playing in the holding midfield positions which means that Medel will, by no means, be a regular starter at the East London club.
If the South American defensive ace is willing to sacrifice his game time to seal a return to the Premier League, then it makes a lot of sense for West Ham to go back for him next summer. Medel can still offer a lot on the pitch and will be a useful asset for any team for the next few years.
