OPINION
One of the many areas in which West Ham have struggled at the start of the new Premier League season is central midfield.
A revolving cast of characters including Jack Wilshere, Carlos Sanchez, Mark Noble, Pedro Obiang and Declan Rice have all failed to harden the Hammers’ soft underbelly, and it’s losing them games at a rapid rate.
Clearly Wilshere was the central midfielder upon which many West Ham fans’ hopes rested this season, but he hasn’t lived up to the hype in East London. He was a free transfer from Arsenal, but has yet to replicate the pre-injury form he showed for the Gunners.
Sanchez was a bizarre signing from the moment it happened, while Noble has been injured and Obiang has barely featured. Rice is stuck in no mans land as a jack of all trades but a master of none, and isn’t featuring regularly from the start as a result.
The solution, if the club can limp to January with their season still in tact, is to make another move for Inter Milan midfielder Joao Mario. The Portugal international had a solid loan spell at the London Stadium in the second half of last season, and was reportedly keen on a return to the club.
However, that move failed to materialise and he has been frozen out at Inter as a result – he is yet to play a minute of football for Luciano Spalletti’s side this term, but remains locked down to a contract until 2021.
The Hammers reportedly made a move for the player this summer, but were put off by Inter’s £25million asking price. He is losing value by the minute sat on the sidelines, though, so it stands to reason that Manuel Pellegrini can bring him in in January for a much less back-breaking fee.
Mario showed himself to be a good Premier League player last season, and certainly a level above the current crop of Hammers midfielders. He is available and solves a position of dire need for the club.
This is a no brainer: West Ham must renew their attempts to bring the former Sporting Lisbon man to the club. He’s only going to get better the more experience of English football he gets, and he could save the club’s rapidly decaying season.
West Ham have the money, and it only takes a phone call. The club needs to get this one done as soon as possible.