West Ham United have hit a rich vein of form in the Premier League and have won all their last six matches barring one against Watford. Manuel Pellegrini’s side have, however, been really hit by injuries as they are missing as many as six key players from their lineup.
Players like Andriy Yarmolenko, Jack Wilshere, Manuel Lanzini and Winston Reid are long-term absentees in the West Ham United squad while strikers Marko Arnautovic and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez are nursing their injuries. This has forced the veteran manager to use players out of position on a few occasions (Michail Antonio as right back against Southampton), and he might be looking to include some new faces to increase his squad depth.
According to Daily Mail, the Hammers have been linked with Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Victor Wanyama. The player has been in and out of the side with injury worries and now might be finally offloaded in the January transfer window as he is reportedly no more a fit in Mauricio Pochettino’s system.
In the current situation, bringing in Wanyama might look like a convenient option for Pellegrini, given his experience in the Premier League and his ability to play in various positions throughout the midfield. However, given his recent history of injuries, it would be wise for the Hammers to maintain their distance from the Kenyan international in January.
The former Celtic and Southampton ace has missed a chunk of the action due to injury worries for quite some time now. He has been able to make only four appearances in the Premier League. This should be evidence enough for West Ham United, who are already struggling with injury issues, not to sign someone like Wanyama to increase their squad depth.
It would instead be better for the Chilean gaffer to utilise the resources that he has at his disposal. Young midfielder Grady Diangana is one such player who has already proved his mettle at the top level and can be moulded into a consistent performer if nurtured in the right way. The 20-year-old academy product has already dished out some gritty performances against some of the top clubs in the Premier League this season and has proved his versatility while playing in various positions in the midfield.
Also, given the fact that Mark Noble is not getting any younger and Pedro Obiang is more of a backup in the side, the young Englishman can be the perfect foil for the high-flying Irishman, Declan Rice, in central midfield.
While the injury worries are piling the pressure on Pellegrini, his contribution towards the turnaround of the Hammers this season has been undeniable. In the current situation, it is necessary for him to increase West Ham’s squad depth, but it would be best for him to stay away from signing someone like Wanyama.
