In a recent tweet, Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth shared ExWHUEmployee’s claim about how West Ham United are keeping a keen eye on John Egan, who is currently a free agent. It has been revealed that the Hammers could go into the free-agent market to sign the veteran defender this month.
Egan’s Injury-Ravaged Season At Bramall Lane
Egan missed a lot of matches for the Blades last season due to a serious foot injury. The 31-year-old appeared in just seven matches for Sheffield United in the previous campaign across all competitions.
The Republic of Ireland international managed to prove his worth on the defensive end of the pitch by averaging 1.0 tackles, 2.2 key passes and 6.5 clearances per 90 minutes in the Premier League. However, he lacked quality when distributing the ball from the back after completing just 69.9% of his attempted passes in the top tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
Egan is a free agent right now which makes him an affordable option for the Hammers to pursue this month. Therefore, Julen Lopetegui would be wise to try and sign him on a free transfer soon.
Is Egan A Good Fit For West Ham United Boss Julen Lopetegui?
Egan is a solid tackler of the ball and can read the danger well to make some important interceptions for his side inside his half. He usually puts his foot through the ball when needed but needs to improve his ball distribution from the back.
The Republic of Ireland defender has got a wealth of experience at the highest level and could be a good signing for West Ham in the short term. We can expect him to bring more bite and steel to Julen Lopetegui’s defence and could help the Hammers compete across all fronts in the coming years.
At 31, Egan has still got a few good years left in him to play at his best. Therefore, he would be a decent fit for Lopetegui’s needs in the short term. However, Egan is not good enough to challenge for a regular first-team spot at the London Stadium at this stage of his playing career. Still, West Ham should consider offering him a contract this summer.
