West Ham could sign “unusual” England star for free

West Ham have struggled to find consistency under Julen Lopetegui this season, after spending around £120m in the summer window, bringing ten new players into the squad, and also trying to implement an entirely new system.

One key area for concern has been midfield, with this issue stretching back to the 2023 summer when Declan Rice left the club. Since then, West Ham have been unable to find the right balance needed in the middle of the park.

A lack of mobility has been pinpointed as a cause for concern, especially given how Lopetegui likes to set up, which could make a January move for a certain individual even more appealing.

West Ham must revisit interest in England international

Ahead of Julen Lopetegui joining the Irons last summer, reports emerged suggesting that one of the first players he could sign was Lille midfielder Angel Gomes.

Now, with just six months left on his deal with les Dogues, they should revisit a move for the England international. Gomes is now free to agree a pre-contract with a foreign club, which could also tempt Lille into a January sale to extract a fee for the player.

He has made 15 appearances so far this season in all competitions, scoring one goal, providing one assist and totalling 885 minutes. The 24-year-old has also earned his first England senior caps this season, now playing four times for his country.

Lee Carsley introduced Gomes into the England set-up, having worked closely with him at youth level for England. Coming into the international scene, Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett described the midfielder as a “little bit different” and a little bit “unusual” due to the role he plays and how it has transformed over his short career so far.

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How Edson Alvarez compares to Angel Gomes

Edson Alvarez was signed for West Ham in the summer 2023 transfer window, with the view of replacing Rice, joining from Ajax for a fee of around £35.4m.

The Mexican has made 59 appearances since joining the Hammers, scoring two goals, providing two assists and totalling 4,178 minutes.

But as previously mentioned, a lack of mobility is an issue in West Ham’s midfield, usually consisting of Alvarez alongside the likes of Tomas Soucek and Guido Rodriguez. Gomes, despite being just 5 foot 6 in stature, adds dynamism in midfield the other options do not, with the capacity to cover ground and cut things out using his high game intelligence.

You can see when comparing the two in their underlying numbers this season that Alvarez still brings good defensive numbers to the side, averaging 2.14 tackles, 1.22 blocks and 1.15 interceptions per 90, alongside 5.20 ball recoveries per 90.

But if they are looking to continue with this new system implemented by Lopetegui, looking to be more aggressive and play higher up, mobility and ground covering are key qualities missing.

Gomes, despite offering few defensive actions, still makes 2.03 ball recoveries per 90, and is a key figure in deep build-up, linking the defensive and attacking lines, progressing play with a mixture of carrying and passing ability, and importantly controlling the tempo for his side.

Whether the Hammers decide to try and agree a pre-contract deal to acquire Gomes on a free, or if they test the waters in January with a low-ball offer to Lille, his profile would certainly be extremely valuable to Lopetegui in midfield and could help him turn the tides for West Ham.

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