---
title: "Kevin Campbell heaps praise on Craig Dawson"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2021/02/25/kevin-campbell-praise-craig-dawson-west-ham/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2021-02-25T15:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-02-25T15:00:00Z"
---

# Kevin Campbell heaps praise on Craig Dawson

[Former Premier League striker](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kevin-campbell/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/3468/wettbewerb/GB1) Kevin Campbell has heaped praise on the performances of [West Ham](https://readwestham.com/2021/02/25/west-ham-morning-news-round-up-25th-february-2021/) defender [Craig Dawson](https://readwestham.com/2021/02/24/west-ham-fans-excited-craig-dawson-update-permanent-deal/) this season and claimed that the on-loan Watford man would be a bargain this summer if, as the [Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9197991/Watford-offer-West-Ham-chance-sign-Craig-Dawson-permanently-3m-month.html) suggested, the Irons sign him permanently for around £3m.

Speaking to [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/west-ham-campbell-dawson-would-be-a-steal-as-asking-price-revealed/), Campbell was full of admiration for how the 30-year-old has performed for the Hammers and placed much of the [team’s success this season](https://www.premierleague.com/tables) at the door of the centre-back, saying:

> It’s cheap money isn’t it, so cheap. In the summer, there was a lot of talk about where Craig Dawson was going or where he could go. You know, maybe people didn’t really rate him as much but that goes to show what a good player he is.
>
> He’s come in, he’s made the defence a lot better and they have got competition for places at the back, which is great. That’s what you need.

Dawson is currently enjoying a prolonged run in David Moyes’ side, [playing every minute of West Ham’s last 10](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/craig-dawson/leistungsdaten/spieler/121477) Premier League fixtures. In that time, the defender has won 71% his aerial duels ([Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/player/craig-dawson/50027)), which is markedly higher than centre-back team-mates Fabian Balbuena ([57%](https://www.sofascore.com/player/craig-dawson/50027)), Issa Diop ([50%](https://www.sofascore.com/player/issa-diop/825719)) and Angelo Ogbonna ([58%](https://www.sofascore.com/player/angelo-ogbonna/21164)).

### READ WEST HAM VERDICT

Having been [notable by his absence in the early months](https://www.footballinsider247.com/phillips-exclusive-west-ham-tipped-to-terminate-loan-within-weeks-amid-strange-claim/) of the season, few could have predicted Dawson’s impact at West Ham when his chance finally presented itself. However, he has been almost perfect defensively, and has also [chipped in with important goals](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jan/11/stockport-west-ham-fa-cup-third-round-match-report) along the way.

At the [reported £3m fee](https://the72.co.uk/223282/watford-set-3million-asking-price-as-west-ham-plot-move-for-craig-dawson-in-the-coming-months/), less than his [Transfermarkt value](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/craig-dawson/marktwertverlauf/spieler/121477), the Hammers truly would land a bargain if they clinch a permanent deal for the 30-year-old, whose praise from Campbell has been well-earned.