With the January transfer window now approaching the final stretch, West Ham United are yet to conclude any business, though David Moyes is certainly working toward bringing in some fresh faces.
Last year, the Hammers finished 14th in the Premier League after successive top-seven finishes. However, the Europa Conference League was conquered to provide a pathway into continental competition for a third successive season.
West Ham are back on track this season and sit sixth in the table, also advanced to the last 16 in the Europa League, but there’s a lack of depth that needs countering before the market draws its shutters at the end of the month.
The player West Ham could sign after Phillips
As per The Guardian, West Ham are hoping to complete the loan signing of Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips this month and are working on a compromise on City’s demands of a £7m loan fee.
This is not the only move in the works, however, with the publication also revealing that West Ham are looking at potentially signing Chelsea striker Armando Broja after rejection from Aston Villa in a bid to land Jhon Duran on loan.
Chelsea could demand up to £50m to sign the 22-year-old and this would prove a sticking point for the Irons, but then, frankly, few teams would likely meet this figure.
Why West Ham want to sign Armando Broja
Broja, aged 22, missed the majority of the 2022/23 campaign and the start of the current season after suffering an ACL injury, and while he is back in the mix at Stamford Bridge, he has only started five games in the Premier League under Mauricio Pochettino, scoring one goal.
Also netting against Preston North End in the FA Cup earlier this month, the 17-cap Albania international, who has been described as “athletic and powerful” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the quality to succeed in the Premier League and would be wise to consider a move to a team such as West Ham.
With Michail Antonio ageing and injured and Danny Ings proving unreliable in front of goal for the London Stadium side, netting just three times from 42 appearances, the 6 foot 3 Broja could finally return to the kind of form that got English football buzzing during his loan spell with Southampton.
With a six-goal return across just 21 starts in the English top-flight with Saints, his first real taste of the division, Broja displayed his goalscoring faculty in all its bright colour, with journalist Jacob Tanswell even declaring him an “animal” for his tenacious and imposing performances.
As per FBref, the £40k-per-week ace ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 4% for successful take-ons, the top 6% for touches in the attacking box and the top 10% for blocks per 90.
Considered a comparable player to Newcastle United talisman Alexander Isak via FBref’s ‘Similar Players’ model, perhaps Broja’s signature would be worth a punt in east London.
Way back in 2016, West Ham coincidentally pursued a deal for the Swedish striker when he played in his homeland for AIK, though nothing came about in the end. That said, the Irons were enticed by his skill set and could now rectify the failed venture with a successful swoop for Broja.
This season, Newcastle haven’t reached the same heights that saw them clinch Champions League qualification last year but Isak has been emphatic in offence, scoring 14 goals from 23 outings.
Like Broja, he is more than just a sharpshooter, with the 24-year-old ranking among the top 13% of positional peers in Europe for pass completion, the top 11% for progressive carries and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90, with technical quality and a progressive nature to rival Broja.
The Chelsea striker will want to play a prominent role as he looks to make a name for himself in the English game, and with West Ham in need of a talisman, it could be a match made in heaven.
