OPINION
Since Mateo Kovacic announced his intention to leave Real Madrid, Tottenham were put on high alert to acquire his services – but he would fit in perfectly into the West Ham side.
Todo Mercardo Web report that the Hammers have joined Spurs in the chase to sign the Croatian, and they must hijack any Tottenham pursuit to sign the midfielder in order to upgrade their midfield further.
The 24-year-old is said to be unhappy at the Bernebeu, and West Ham need to get him on the books in order to bolster their midfield ahead of the upcoming Premier League season.
Even though Spurs are reportedly keen on landing the enforcer, he is not at the same standard as the midfielders they already have in their ranks, therefore meaning he is much better suited at playing for a side like West Ham.
The Croatian international has not had the best time in La Liga, having managed to score no goals during the 2017/2018 campaign – but he would perform much better at a club who do not have as much spotlight on them as Real Madrid does.
The La Liga giants are always expected to perform at the highest level and win trophies season after season, whereas West Ham do not have that pressure – meaning Kovacic’s talent would finally be able to unleash itself without the constant scrutiny.
He largely operates as a central midfielder, but can also play as a defensive option – providing perfect cover to a relatively young Hammers’ back line that includes recent signing Issa Diop.
There is no guarantee that Kovacic would even make the Spurs’ first team if he joined them in North London, especially with their pedigree of midfield talent they already have, and he may be condemning himself to a long period of sitting on the bench.
At West Ham, there is no doubt that boss Manuel Pellegrini would give Kovacic regular game time, which is exactly what he needs to unlock his true potential – and now they must blow Tottenham away and swoop for the Real Madrid man.