In a recent report, Calciomercato claimed that West Ham United have made a move to land Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria. It has been stated that the Hammers have launched a loan move with an obligation to buy the Swiss talent for €18m, based on certain conditions.
Zakaria’s Lackluster Loan Spell At Chelsea
Zakaria had an uninspiring loan spell at Stamford Bridge in the previous campaign when he failed to give a good account of himself for the Blues in the Premier League. The 26-year-old played in just 11 matches for the West London club last season, scoring one goal in the process across various competitions.
The Genf-born sensation deserves some credit for averaging 1.3 tackles and 1.1 clearances per 90 minutes in Premier League football. He even distributed the ball with conviction after completing 88.8% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
Zakaria is under contract at his parent club Juventus until the summer of 2026. Hence, the Hammers will do well to get him on board, even if it is on a loan deal in this off-season.
Is Zakaria The Right Fit For West Ham United Boss David Moyes?
Zakaria can time his tackles well to earn the ball back for his side in the middle of the park. He usually clears the danger when the opposition are on the offensive but needs to work on improving the offensive side of his game if he wants to start regularly in Premier League football. Zakaria is primarily a defensive midfielder but can also operate as a centre-back or as a box-to-box midfielder if told to do so.
We can expect the Swiss talent to add plenty of bite and steel to West Ham head coach David Moyes‘ midfield department. He would even serve as an ideal replacement for Declan Rice at the East London club.
Hence, Zakaria would be a great fit for Moyes’ needs at the London Stadium ahead of the new season. He is good enough to help the Hammers challenge across all competitions in the coming years. However, only time will tell whether he is good enough to succeed in English football if West Ham manage to sign him this summer.
