In a recent print edition, Mundo Deportivo has mentioned that West Ham United are set to rival Southampton for Barcelona left-back Junior Firpo this summer. It is believed that both the Hammers and the Saints are leading the chase for the Spanish defensive ace during this summer transfer period (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness).
Firpo’s Lacklustre Season In Spanish Football
Firpo endured a frustrating season at the Nou Camp as he struggled to earn regular first-team opportunities under Ronald Koeman’s tutelage. The 24-year-old scored one goal and provided one assist in 18 matches for the Catalans last season in various competitions.
The lack of playing time has seen the Spaniard’s form take a dip after he averaged 0.6 interceptions, 1.0 clearances and 0.7 key passes per 90 minutes in La Liga. However, he distributed the ball relatively well based on his pass success rate of 89.7% in the top tier of Spanish football (stats via whoscored).
Firpo is still under contract with Barca until the summer of 2024 but is in dire need to seek a move elsewhere in search of more playing minutes in the coming seasons. Maybe joining the Hammers could be an attractive proposition for the player as David Moyes can afford to offer him regular game time at the London Stadium in the upcoming campaign.
What Will The Spanish Full-Back Bring To The London Stadium?
Firpo has decent pace under his belt and is always willing to put on a tireless shift out on the wide areas. He doesn’t take too many chances with his clearances and can also create some meaningful openings in the attacking third. However, the Spaniard has often been guilty of being inconsistent which could be why he currently finds himself on the fringes of Koeman’s squad.
At 24, Firpo is about to embark upon the prime years of his playing career, so Moyes should prioritize on engineering a move to lure him to the English capital during this summer transfer window. He is a reliable defender at the back and would bring some bite and steel to the West Ham backline.
We can expect Firpo to offer some healthy competition for Aaron Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku for the right to start in Moyes’ first XI. Furthermore, he knows what it takes to play at the highest level and could flourish playing under a good man-manager like Moyes at the East London club in the coming years. Hence, West Ham should try everything they can to bring Firpo on board ahead of the new campaign as he will bring some much-needed depth to Moyes’ squad.
