In a recent interview with Football Insider, former England forward Kevin Phillips has revealed that West Ham United ‘may have already agreed’ on a deal to bring Burnley defender James Tarkowski to the London Stadium in January. When quizzed about his take on the Hammers’ interest in the English centre-back, Phillips said, “The agent may have already agreed something, spoke to them and said to Tarkowski, ‘just hang on until January’.
“He would have been disappointed not to have moved on. It looks as if the player has made up his mind – his time at Burnley is done. At least he has been vocal about it.
“He is taking stock of his own career and it looks like he wants to move on. It has been a tough start to the season for Burnley. He has been put under a lot of pressure.
“On the other hand it has been a decent start for West Ham and David Moyes is building something there that Tarkowski may want to be a part of. It says to me that the player will be moving on in January.”
Tarkowski’s Tough Start To This Premier League Campaign
Tarkowski has endured a challenging season at the Turf Moor so far as he has failed to help his team secure any victories in the Premier League before the international break. However, the 27-year-old has continued to perform at top gear at the centre of Sean Dyche’s defence and deserves a bit of credit for all his efforts.
The Clarets centre-half has taken part in six games this term and has impressed with his defensive contributions by averaging 2.0 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 4.0 clearances and 1.0 shots per 90 minutes in the English first division. However, the ex-Oldham Athletic youngster has given away the ball cheaply at times based on his pass completion rate of 76.4% in league football (stats via whoscored).
What Will The English Defensive Ace Bring To The London Stadium?
Tarkowski has been a real leader at the back for the Clarets over the past few seasons and has commanded his backline well using his strength and power. Standing at 1.85m, he has got a great leap in him that helps to win a lot of headers inside his half.
The English defender possesses excellent defensive awareness and can sense the danger quickly to clear his lines when needed. Plus, he can also pull off some important interceptions for his team which explains why he is one of the first names in Sean Dyche’s teamsheet.
Is Tarkowski The Right Fit For The Hammers?
Tarkowski is a quality Premier League centre-half who would provide some healthy competition for the likes of Issa Diop, Fabian Balbuena and Angelo Ogbonna at the London Stadium. He will improve the quality of David Moyes’ match-day squad and could even propel the Hammers to secure one of the European spots at the end of this campaign. All in all, Tarkowski will be a great fit for the East London side during the winter transfer period.
