In a recent report, Voetbal International mentioned that West Ham United are facing tough competition for Union Berlin ace Danilho Doekhi this summer. It has been stated that the Hammers will have to rival Napoli and AS Roma in the race to land the Dutch centre-back.
Doekhi’s Impressive Form In Bundesliga Last Season
Doekhi enjoyed a solid campaign at the German club recently as he put in a series of dominant displays at the centre of their defence. The 25-year-old made 36 appearances for Union Berlin last season, finding the back of the net on six occasions and grabbing two assists across multiple competitions.
The Dutch talent managed to catch the eye with his contributions on the defensive end of the field based on his average of 1.5 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 3.6 clearances per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga. He has even been accurate when distributing possession from the back, as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 80% in the German top-flight (stats via whoscored).
His current deal at the German club will expire in 2025. Thus, the Hammers will have to launch a big move if they want to recruit Doekhi this summer.
West Ham United Are Facing Stiff Competition For Doekhi: Is He Worth The Fight?
Doekhi loves a tackle and usually times his challenges well to earn the ball back for his side inside his half. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when needed and can also play his way out from the back.
The Dutch defender can use his robust 1.90m to dominate the opposition attackers in the air. He is even proficient at playing in both centre-half positions.
We can expect Doekhi to bring more bite and steel to David Moyes’ defence and help West Ham challenge across all fronts in the upcoming campaign.
At 25, Doekhi will only get better in the coming seasons which makes him well worth the fight for the East London club during this summer transfer period. However, there are some concerns over whether he would be able to cope with the physical side and high intensity of Premier League football if Moyes can devise a way to bring him to the London Stadium in this off-season.
