In his first few games in charge of West Ham United, David Moyes has struggled to field a strong XI, with up to six of his first-team stars out injured for almost every game. The former Everton manager will have to improve on his options in the January transfer window and one of the areas he is keen to add to is his defence.
The likes of Winston Reid, Jose Fonte and James Collins have constantly been on the treatment table this season which has left Moyes short-handed, forcing him into making tactical changes to his side. In the last couple of games, Aaron Creswell and Declan Rice have been a part of a three-man backline and though they have skipper Reid coming back from injury soon, they are short of a quality central defender and Moyes is looking to rectify it in January.
A number of interesting players have been linked with a move to the London Stadium recently and one player now on the new manager’s radar is West Bromwich Albion skipper Jonny Evans.
The former Manchester United star joined the Baggies more than two seasons ago but still stands as one of the most consistent defenders in the top flight at the moment. He has been the first choice for the club since his move to the Hawthorns and he has only grown in confidence, showcasing his experience with every opportunity.
He led his side to a decent finish in the points table last season but West Brom are currently languishing just three points off the relegation zone 15 games into the current season. The 29-year old will have to be at his best for the rest of the season, to get anywhere close to a top half finish and it is hard to see how he will be allowed to leave, halfway through the season.
But that is only a part of the problem for the Hammers. A perfect defender for the English game, Evans is also attracting interests from the likes of Manchester City, who also wanted him in the summer, Arsenal and Everton, who are all short of quality defenders.
At 29, Evans still has a couple of years of prime football left in him, and will want to play as much as possible. So in more ways than one, a move away from West Brom in January is not the best for him.
He may be tempted with the financial incentives of moving to London but West Ham, who would love to have such a defender in their ranks, for their relegation battle, have to fight really hard for his signature. But do you think they are better off, trying to work on another option?
