West Ham have made big strides under the leadership of Manuel Pellegrini, and consolidating those gains will require another spending spree in the summer.
Whilst the Hammers won’t have to necessarily spend as much as they did in last summer’s window, a new central midfielder is said to be close to the top of the Chilean’s priorities.
The young Declan Rice could be a mainstay in the engine room of the Irons’ starting XI, but younger legs will be required to compensate for the ageing Mark Noble and Carlos Sanchez.
Pedro Obiang has been repeatedly linked with a move away from the London Stadium, and could finally be sold come the end of the season.
Here are five midfielders we think West Ham could sign:
1) Marten de Roon
The Atalanta defensive midfielder has found great success working behind the talented Alejandro Gomez, a connection that could be replicated with a healthy Manuel Lanzini. Aged 27, the Dutchman could bring a good deal of international experience to East London, and could be more of a long-term partner for Rice.
2) Gaston Pereiro
Playing for PSV Eindhoven of the Eredivisie, the 23-year-old has impressed a number of pundits across Europe so far this season. Strong showings in the Champions League have indicated the Uruguayan could handle a higher level than he’s currently playing at, and he could flourish into a quality player at West Ham.
3) Will Vaulks
I am a big Will Vaulks fan. The Rotherham defensive midfielder has played way above his level this year, becoming an interceptions machine in the heart of the Millers lineup. In what would be a cheap signing for the Irons, the risk-reward here sits firmly in West Ham’s favour.
4) Maximilian Eggestein
His name might be ‘Max Egg Stain’, but this 22-year-old has been turning in strong performance after strong performance for Werder Bremen this year. Prone to working hard to win the ball back, the German can also load up a rasping shot from anywhere on the field. This would be one to get excited about!
5) Bruno Fernandes
The 24-year-old could be the perfect partner to Rice. Complementing the (soon to be) England international’s defensive ability, Fernandes can set the team going in the other direction. The Sporting midfielder may set the Hammers back a fair old chunk of their transfer budget, but I am sure it would not be money wasted.