West Ham United are reportedly on the hunt for a versatile left-sided player who can play both as a wing-back and as a left winger ahead of the new season.
The Hammers had been heavily linked with a swoop for Filip Kostic from Eintracht Frankfurt, with the Serbian helping the German side to win the Europa League last season, a run that saw them knock out Moyes’ side in the semi-final.
Earlier this week, Burnley’s top scorer Maxwel Cornet has also been linked with interest from the Hammers, who have been claimed to be willing to spend £20million on the Ivory Coast international, who scored nine goals last season in his debut season in England’s top-flight.
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What both men have in common is while they primarily attack, both are versatile and can play as wing-backs, while Cornet could even feature as a left-back in a back four if needed, despite Aaron Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku already options in that position.
Here is a comparison between the two reported targets and what West Ham will want to consider, should they make moves for them as suggested.
Attacking
In Kostic’s 31 appearances in the Bundesliga last term, Kostic scored four goals and provided nine assists, averaging a direct goal contribution every 84.2 minutes last term, Cornet played 26 times and much fewer minutes, but did still contribute nine league goals and one assist, averaging a league goal contribution every 177.8 minutes, still an impressive rate playing in a Clarets side that struggled to score goals.
While Cornet is more clinical, Kostic is a better creator, which with the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio at the club’s disposal, creating chances may prove to be as, or more important, than scoring them.
Kostic averaged 2.8 key passes per league game last season compared to Cornet’s 0.6. He also averaged more dribbles, while Cornet had a fractionally higher rate of drawing fouls. Cornet was also caught offside 10 times more often, although Kostic played in a deeper role than Cornet more often than not. The Serbian was also dispossessed fewer times and also had better control of the ball than his African counterpart.
Defending
When it comes to defending, Cornet does have some plus points, but Kostic’s more frequent outings as a wing-back make him again better suited to a deeper role, if that is where Moyes is planning on using him, should he sign.
While Cornet ranked higher for being dribbled past on few occasions and contributing more blocks, Kostic was significantly better at winning tackles, making interceptions, giving away fewer times, winning offsides and making more clearances in league matches last season.
Value
In terms of signing them, it is reported that Kostic would command a fee of £16m to depart Frankfurt, while the Hammers are claimed to be willing to spend £20m to sign Cornet from recently relegated Burnley.
Kostic has just a year left on his contract and comes with plenty of experience aged 29. However, Cornet has Premier League knowledge and had a brilliant season last term, despite suffering relegation and had it not been for the Clarets going down, they are likely to have been able to get a much higher fee for the Ivorian than the touted £20m.
Cornet’s age means he is likely to have some resell value to him, if he succeeded later down the line, while Kostic for £16m may prove to be smart business, but is likely to have a small sell-on value at the end of it.
Success
Kostic is on the brink of playing Champions League football with Frankfurt after their Europa League win and despite playing 40 times in the competition, he has never played in the Champions League. Turning that chance down after finally getting there may be tough for Kostic to do, but West Ham’s club protection may be lucrative.
In his career, Kostic has played 48 times for his country and was last season’s Europa League Player of the Year, glowing praise for the 29-year-old who was so vital for Frankfurt in their historic campaign last season.
For Cornet meanwhile, his performances in the 2021/22 campaign certainly did not warrant being relegated and like the select few each season, deserves another crack at the Premier League at a side not in danger of suffering relegation.
A 29-time international for his country, who also played 52 times for France at youth level, Cornet has played 23 times in the Champions League while with Lyon and scored six goals in the competition, including four of which came against defending Premier League champions Manchester City.
Other factors
Kostic will be playing in this year’s World Cup for Serbia but finds himself in a tough group that contains Brazil, Switzerland and Cameroon, risking himself as a potential injury concern during the tournament.
While Cornet would be rested in that due to Ivory Coast’s failure to qualify, long term, he would be an absentee for January 2024’s fixtures due to the Africa Cup of Nations, if his country qualify. While Kostic would not miss any action with the season paused due to the World Cup, Cornet would miss a number of games.
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