Who would have predicted that West Ham United would struggle so badly this season! The Hammers had a sensational season last time out in the Premier League finishing seventh. It was Slaven Bilic’s first ever season in English football as a manager and after such an impressive debut season, expecting big things this season was quite natural. On top of that, West Ham moved to a bigger capacity Olympic Stadium bidding a goodbye to Upton Park which had been their home for more than 100 years. Despite all the motivation being there, West Ham have disappointed many.
The Hammers are right now sitting just above the danger zone and need to improve big time and have to do it really soon. They have enough quality to still pull off a top half finish and Bilic has to ensure that he can get the best out of his key players. Bilic’s summer signings have mostly been disastrous and on top of that, a severe injury crisis has made things much worse. Subsequently, they have been linked with a host of players in a bid to strengthen their squad,
The Daily Star claims that West Ham United are hot on the tail of FC Copenhagen left-back Ludwig Augustinsson, a player who has also sparked interest from Liverpool. West Ham wanted the Swedish international in the summer but failed to reach any deal and the report claims that they are working on a January move.
The left-back position has troubled Slaven Bilic from the start of the season. First-choice left-back Aaron Cresswell got himself injured before the Premier League campaign and West Ham moved for young full-back Arthur Masuaku who has failed to impress before going down with a lengthy injury himself. Well, Augustinsson is right now one of the hottest prospects in Europe and could be the readymade fix to West Ham’s issues at left-back.
Augustinsson has made his name in European football at the tender age of 22 as one of the best attacking left-backs. He is a complete modern wing-back with brilliant attacking abilities from the left flank. Blessed with a blistering pace, the 22-year-old is a menace with his bombarding runs forward from defence.
Augustinsson looks quite assured when on the ball and can pick out his teammates in the centre with a deadly eye for crosses. This season, he has already registered 10 assists to his name in 24 games in all competitions.
A set-piece specialist and a deadly crosser, Augustinsson is too good for West Ham and might not like the idea of competing with Cresswell for a first-team place. At Liverpool, he could be a regular at left-back for plenty of years to follow. So, West Ham have to forget about this move. The missed their chance in the summer and all they can do now is repent.
