West Ham United had a torrid start to their Premier League season under Manuel Pellegrini but improved immensely as it progressed. They are set to contest Watford today afternoon with a view of securing a top half finish, but at the same time are already eyeing options for the upcoming campaign.
According to Tutto Mercato Web, the Hammers are plotting a swoop for Bartlomiej Dragowski, the highly-rated Polish keeper who has been impressive in the Serie A with Empoli following a loan switch from Fiorentina back in January. The 21-year-old is being viewed as the alternative to Adrian who is set to depart when his contract expires next month.
Despite being the Irons’ ‘number 1’ for years, the Spaniard lost his place to Lukasz Fabianski this term. The ex-Arsenal and Swansea City custodian has been majestic between the sticks and won the club’s Player of the Year reward for his impact and influence in goal.
Fabianski, however, is in his mid-thirties and does not have many years left in him as their first choice. A move for Dragowski is sensible enough keeping the future in mind, and the youngster should grab the opportunity of experiencing English football despite being a rookie with limited senior minutes in Italy.
He came into prominence last month after making a record 17 saves in a Serie A tie against Atalanta and would improve furthermore while competing for a starting role with compatriot Fabianski. He might have to wait a couple of years before grabbing his chances but must keep on impressing in the training ground to stake a claim in Pellegrini’s plans.
Scouting Dragowski depicts West Ham’s revamped transfer policy. They were known for tying down the veterans on Bosman over the years, but the approach seems to have changed as the Hammers’ are more inclined to cash in on the youth these days rather than recruiting those well-known individuals who are past their prime.
While Fabianski would keep his place for the league fixtures, the Poland youth international should be handed starts in the Cup outings to exhibit his talent and showcase how prepared he is to challenge Fabianski.
Dragowski is lauded for his brilliance on one-on-one situations, concentration, outing and close-range saves. But he should work on his distribution as well as saving long shots. Empoli are struggling to retain their top-flight existence, but the Polish prospect has been quite calm and composed since securing a starting status.
