According to a recent report by the Sun (05/01; page 63), as mentioned by HITC, West Ham United are looking to secure the services of Tom Cairney from Fulham. The same report has also stated that the Hammers would have to cough up £25m if they are to convince the Cottagers to part ways with their prized asset.
Cairney has had a lacklustre campaign so far for the London outfit after being plagued with injuries in recent times. So it makes a lot of sense for him to move on and make a fresh start away from Craven Cottage. The 27-year-old has endured a difficult Premier League campaign so far, having made 17 appearances for the Cottagers this term with just one assist to show for his efforts across all competitions.
The Scottish talent needs to start producing the goods on the pitch or else risk being moved back to the English Championship. West Ham could be an ideal opportunity for the player to get his career back on track.
However, Manuel Pellegrini already has one injury-prone midfielder in his squad in Jack Wilshere so it makes no sense for him to splash the cash on bringing in someone who would do a similar job at the centre of the park.
Cairney has proven his worth in the Championship, but he has looked far from his best after earning a promotion up to the Premier League. So there are significant concerns regarding his ability to adapt his game at the highest level.
If West Ham are aiming to secure European football over the next few years, then it would be better for them to stay away from players like Cairney as they need more immediate solutions who can come in and master their roles from the get-go.
Pellegrini has the likes of Wilshere, Mark Noble, Declan Rice, Pedro Obiang, Carlos Sanchez and Conor Coventry in his ranks who are all vying for a place in midfield at the London Stadium. So there is enough competition for places already in the Hammers midfield. Hence, it is a legitimate question whether the East London outfit should instead opt for players in other positions and not concentrate on signing more midfielders in the near future.
