Forget Raheem Sterling, West Ham should go all out to sign 27-yo Chelsea star who Enzo Maresca wants gone. There will be a huge clear-out at Stamford Bridge this summer, with Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca seemingly very keen to trim down his squad.
And West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui should be looking to take full advantage of that during the final week of the transfer window.
And whilst his main priority may well now be to shift on some of the fringe players, his business is far from finished. The West Ham manager admitted that himself recently when he insisted that he wants two top quality options in every single position.
Numerous reports have suggested that Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling is a transfer target for the Hammers this summer. There is one position in particular at the London Stadium that is arguably our weakest when it comes to strength in depth.
And Lopetegui could solve that instantly by signing a Chelsea player who has been thrown on the scrapheap at Stamford Bridge.
West Ham should sign Chelsea star Ben Chilwell after Maresca decision
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca wants to sell Ben Chilwell this summer (Independent).
In fact, Maresca has admitted himself that Chilwell has no future at Stamford Bridge (BBC), and the Hammers should be all over the 27-year-old in my opinion. Forget Raheem Sterling, our need for someone like the English left-back is far greater right now.
Now, Chilwell would be the perfect man to provide competition and cover for Emerson Palmieri at the London Stadium this season and beyond.
The thought of the Italy international suffering a serious injury and Aaron Cresswell coming into the team to replace him fills me with fear.
The 34-year-old is clearly not good enough to be playing Premier League football any more, and has regressed badly over the past year or so. Now it’s time for Lopetegui to bring in someone who really can compete with Emerson, and Chilwell is just the man for the job.
Ben Chilwell perfect for West Ham
The Chelsea left-back would take the Hammers to another level entirely. He possesses exceptional technical ability and has one of the very best deliveries in the game.
Chilwell is brilliant going forward and is a very good one v one defender. If West Ham signed him, it would definitely raise Emerson’s levels, because he’d know that his starting place would be under threat. One caveat to the above is the 21-capped England international’s huge salary. Ben Chilwell earns £190k-a-week at Chelsea (Salary Sport), and West Ham will certainly not be able to match that pay packet.
The English left-back will obviously have to take a huge wage-cut if he is to join the Hammers, but he will have the chance to remain in London.
If a compromise can be agreed with Chelsea regarding a fee for the 27-year-old, and we can meet him somewhere in the middle as far as his wages are concerned, this is a deal that definitely could happen. However, Lopetegui will have to shift on some of the deadwood first before he has any chance of bringing the former Leicester City man to the London Stadium.
