West Ham United are now confident of signing a left-back in January who is considered to be one of the very best young talents in the Premier League.
West Ham boss David Moyes desperately needs to make a left-back signing in the January transfer window, in order to provide some proper competition and cover for Emerson Palmieri.
Hammers left-back Aaron Cresswell is just not good enough to be playing Premier League football anymore, and it’s little wonder that we tried to sell the 34-year-old in the summer.
One of the players who has been heavily linked with us over the past few months is Chelsea starlet Ian Maatsen, with the Blues apparently demanding around £20 million for the 21-year-old.
The Dutchman hasn’t received much game-time under Maurcio Pochettino this season, and recently admitted that his future may well lie away from Stamford Bridge.
So could Maatsen be the man to come into the London Stadium and challenge Emerson for his first-team place? It certainly seems that way…
West Ham confident of signing left-back
The Hammers apparently have the 21-year-old Blues defender in their sights ahead of the January window.
Dean Jones has told Give Me Sport how West Ham are confident of signing Maatsen from Chelsea in January.
I think he’d be a wonderful addition for us. Described as a ‘terrific’ player by Burnley manager Vincent Kompany (The Athletic), Maatsen has it all.
He possesses pace in abundance, is a brilliant tackler and has the energy and stamina required to play the wing-back role if need be as well.
Maatsen has so much potential, and I have no doubts that he will continue to improve over the next few years.
The Dutchman has been given just 141 Premier League minutes under Pochettino this season (Transfermarkt), and is now behind Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill and the currently injured Ben Chilwell in the left-back pecking order at Chelsea.
So I’m sure that the Chelsea left-back could be tempted into signing for West Ham in the January window.
Ian Maatsen would be a truly stunning signing for the Hammers, and it goes without saying that he’d be a major upgrade on Cresswell!
