In what may come as a surprise to a few West Ham fans, David Moyes putting his faith in Mikel Oyarzabal would not be a novelty for the Irons manager.
The Real Sociedad winger has 11 goal involvements in 14 appearances this season – and he has Moyes to thank for kickstarting his career.
The 57-year-old’s stint in La Liga management saw the 11-cap Spain international brought through the San Sebastian side’s academy by the Glaswegian in 2015 – and Moyes should re-ignite his belief in the winger.
Oyarzabal’s record this season is impressive enough, and he is a proven creative maestro over several years. Valued at a staggering £63m by Transfermarkt, the 23-year-old has scored 58 goals and set up 40 more in just 215 appearances at a relatively young age.
His transfer value may seem out of reach, but that hasn’t stopped talkSPORT’s Alex Crook from revealing that the Hammers are keen on the winger.
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Whilst not a striker, Oyarzabal could be a creative alternative to the recently-sold Sebastien Haller.
The Hammers have already seen bids for the likes of Gaeten Laborde rejected, prompting Moyes to admit that the loan market may be the way forward for any January acquisitions.
It seems strange that a prime target with a sizeable valuation does not even fill the same void left by Haller’s departure, but there is some logic in the interest which extends well beyond Moyes’ familiarity with the player.
Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals, both of whom can play on the left, have underperformed this season. The Algerian has yet to score for his new club, whilst Fornals has managed just two goals in 18 appearances in the current campaign.
In that view, Oyarzabal’s proven track record could be a costly but necessary long-term solution to rectify the shortcomings of the Hammers’ existing wide options.
