West Ham United are one of the many teams struggling at the bottom of the points table. Having taken over the club half-way through the season, David Moyes has not been able to find any consistency and is now in desperate need of results to retain their top-flight status for the next season.
But they will also have to add some quality to their first team and the West Ham hierarchy is already planning for the next season. They have started scouting for some of the finest stars in the game and Newcastle United star Jamaal Lascelles is reportedly at the top of the wish list for this summer.
Having been named as the skipper of the Newcastle United side at just 24, and only signed a new deal earlier in the season. However, he has now established himself as one of the best defenders in the league and is wanted by other big clubs in the country. But reports from the Sun claim that West Ham United are readying a £15m bid for his services this summer.
West Ham and Newcastle United are two and four points away from the drop zone respectively and the Hammers will need to stay afloat to have any chance of signing him. But if the Magpies also manage to stay in the top flight, West ham might find it tough to lure him out of St James’ this summer. But is the right man for the Hammers?
A product of the Nottingham Forest Academy, the 24-year old joined the Magpies in 2014 but spent a year back on loan at Forest. Ever since he was back at St James’ after the loan stint, he has cemented his place in the first team and is also not too far away from a national team call-up from Gareth Southgate.
A physically dominating and athletic defender, Lascelles is a calming influence on the back line as he is confident with the ball at his feet and is quick to snub out the danger. Hardly prone to errors, the Newcastle man loves to stay a step ahead of his opponents and has got the better of even the best of the strikers in the league this season.
He has 95 appearances for the Magpies in all competitions already and is an established defender, who is ready to compete at the highest level. But at just 24 has a long future and is a decent fit for the Hammers.
