West Ham United could look to bolster their squad in the January transfer window after a slow start to the 2022/23 Premier League season.
The Hammers currently sit 16th in the Premier League standings and just a point clear of the relegation zone after their first 15 league games of the campaign, nine of which have ended in defeat.
It comes after spending around £160million on eight new signings in the summer, although of those, only German international defender Thilo Kehrer has started ten or more league games so far this season.
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With the January transfer window opening less than a week after West Ham return to competitive action, here are five areas of the squad that it could make sense for David Moyes’ side to invest in this winter.
Right-back
Although West Ham already have three right-backs in Thilo Kehrer, Ben Johnson and Vladimir Coufal, Czech Republic international Coufal has been credited with interest from Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen.
football.london understands that no talks between the two clubs have taken place and that Coufal is not for sale this January. However, considering how strong the links are, there is an air of uncertainty surrounding his future.
Coufal’s current deal runs out in the summer, although West Ham do have the option to extend his contract by two years, but as it stands, if they were to get any money for Coufal, January would be the last chance to do so.
While Kehrer and Johnson are still at the club, Kehrer has been used in a range of roles and having another recognised right-back in the ranks may be worth looking at. West Ham did try signing Torino’s former Chelsea defender Ola Aina on deadline day in the summer, while Juventus’ Koni de Winter has also been linked, although football.london understands there is nothing in it.
Centre-back
For a couple of reasons, a new centre-back or two could well be likely in the January window, considering recent events.
On Thursday, it was announced that Kurt Zouma had undergone knee surgery after being forced off early on during the defeat to Leicester City 16 days ago.
While it will feel as if West Ham will have a new signing when Nayef Aguerd returns from the World Cup, it is unclear how long Zouma is absent for and if he is due to miss a large part, or all, of the remainder of the season, you would think they would have to sign a replacement, even if it was only a loan.
Another issue could come in the future of Craig Dawson, who almost left the club in the summer to join Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers due to wanting to be nearer his family in Cheshire.
The main reason Dawson did not move was because West Ham were unable to sign a replacement in the final days of the transfer window being open, despite interest in Duje Caleta-Car and Jan Bednarek, who went on to join Southampton and Aston Villa respectively.
If Dawson does still want to leave, West Ham are likely to operate a similar to policy to why they would not let him leave in the summer window, meaning a replacement would have to be signed.
Central midfield
In central midfield, West Ham have three primary options in Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek and Flynn Downes, while Lucas Paqueta and Manuel Lanzini have also played there in makeshift roles.
A number of supporters have called for Paqueta to be playing alongside Rice as the midfield two and while that could be a combination Moyes turns to after the international break, if he does not, they do still seem short of a senior option in there.
Downes has seemed to progress quicker than Moyes has expected him too, but should they get any injuries in that role, it could leave them short, so a replacement would make sense.
Right-wing
In terms of natural right wingers, Jarrod Bowen is West Ham’s only senior option and he himself has not been at his firing best so far this term, leading to him being left out of England’s squad for the 2022 World Cup.
Because of the need for a right winger and Bowen, the former Hull City man has started 18 of West Ham’s 22 matches in all competitions this season, with substitute appearances in three of the four games he did not start in.
Left-winger Maxwel Cornet is also seen as someone who can play on the right wing, but in terms of balance of attacking options, more of them are on the left than they are on the right.
Striker
Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio have scored 11 goals between them so far this season, but only four of them have come in the Premier League, with the duo netting twice in the top-flight each.
Having two natural strikers, with Bowen and Paqueta as makeshift options is an improvement on the lack of depth from last season, but an extra striker could be looked at if things in the goalscoring department do not improve.
West Ham’s goalscoring had been among their strongest areas last season, but considering they currently have one of the worst attacking records in the Premier League, something needs to change.
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