Former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips believes West Ham will ‘definitely’ look to sign a central midfielder as cover for Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek this summer.
The Hammers have been wholeheartedly exceeding expectations this season and remain on the brink of European qualification.
However, a recent injury to Rice has highlighted the lack of strength David Moyes has at his disposal, something that will need to be addressed if the Irons are going to maintain their improvement next term.
Phillips, a former European Golden Shoe winner, has told Football Insider he expects Moyes to prioritise the position this summer.
It is definitely an area they will look at in the summer. They have relied very heavily on Soucek and Rice this season. We have seen when Declan is missing that they are not the same side. David Moyes is not daft, he knows that he needs cover. It is just a question of whether you can find a good player who is willing to sit on the bench and be that cover for Rice and Soucek.
The 47-year-old went on to name former Iron, Joao Mario, as a potential suitor to the role – as the Hammers have been linked with the current Inter Milan star.
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It was always unlikely both Rice and Soucek would see every minute of Premier League football this term, although it was a monumental effort from the duo to last as long as they did.
With Mark Noble already announcing next season will be his last, setting the wheels in motion to bolster the squad will be imperative.
