In a recent interview (via Give Me Sport), renowned journalist Tom Barclay revealed that West Ham United were keen on recruiting Eberechi Eze before he joined Crystal Palace last year. Barclay said,
“Other clubs were interested and I’m pretty sure West Ham were keen.”
Eze’s Decent Form In English Football Last Season
Eze had an impressive debut season at Selhurst Park after putting in a run of eye-catching displays as the chief playmaker of Crystal Palace’s attack. The English playmaker participated in 36 matches for the South London club in the previous campaign, scoring four goals and securing six assists in multiple competitions.
The 23-year-old was a consistent performer under Roy Hodgson’s stewardship last season when he averaged 1.1 shots, 1.3 key passes and 1.9 dribbles per game in the Premier League. He has even been accurate when distributing possession in the opposition half as he completed 84.2% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored). However, Eze is yet to make an appearance for the Eagles this season as he is still recovering from an Achilles tendon problem.
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Is Eze A Decent Option For The Hammers?
Eze is a moderately-paced attacking midfielder who can make some clever runs with the ball towards the opponent’s penalty box. He got the eye to pick out a killer pass in the attacking end of the pitch and has got a good football IQ that helps him get into a few promising areas in the final third.
The English sensation can also shoot the ball with power from long range and deserves credit for adding some goals and assists to his game prior to his injury. However, there are some concerns over his long-term health following his recent Achilles problems.
Eze could still prove to be a useful addition to the Hammers squad if they decide to go back in for him next year. He is undoubtedly a player on the rise and would definitely add some healthy competition for Said Beranhma and Pablo Fornals at the London Stadium in the coming seasons.
At 23, Eze is about to embark upon the peak years of his playing career soon which makes him a decent option for West Ham. Thus, David Moyes can expect to make the most out of his talents if he can arrange a move to bring the English attacker to the East London club in January or at the end of this campaign.
