Following Declan Rice’s recent fitness issues, West Ham United may be missing midfield option Cheikhou Kouyate right now.
As the Hammers prepare for what could be the biggest game of their season, they must do so knowing that Rice may not be fit to play against Sevilla. Indeed, club insider ExWHUemployee revealed that after missing the game against Liverpool, the Englishman is not certain to return in time for the Europa League clash.
With that in mind, the club could certainly do with another reliable option in the middle of the park. Perhaps some fans will be wishing Kouyate never left…
Will West Ham beat Sevilla to reach the next stage of the Europa League?
Yes
No
Better midfield cover
Current alternative options to Rice in the middle such as Mark Noble and Alex Kral are probably not quite up to standard in the eyes of David Moyes. Indeed, while Noble is a legend, he has not been used often this term and is clearly past his best. Kral, on the other hand, is simply not trusted by Moyes, having played in just one league game all season.
Kouyate, who left the Hammers in 2018, clearly still has plenty to offer. Indeed, at club level, he has been an integral part of the Crystal Palace team – playing in 21 of their Premier League games this season, helping them perform well in the division. In fact, the Eagles have not won a league game without him this season.
Beyond that, he also played a key role in helping Senegal win the Africa Cup of Nations this February for the first time in their history.
Centre-back saviour?
On top of it all, even if he wasn’t needed in the middle of the park for every game, Kouyate, who is valued at £3.6m (as per Transfermarkt), could also provide a great option in defence.
Indeed, last season with Palace, he played predominantly as a centre-back, playing that role in all but six of the club’s Premier League matches as they finished 14th.
Considering the injury to Angelo Ogbonna, the issues with Kurt Zouma and the form struggles of Issa Diop, it’s fair to say Moyes may well have wanted another defender to pick from this season.
All in all, considering recent events, if the club could turn back time, perhaps they’d opt to keep Kouyate at the club instead of letting him go.
In other news: ‘Monitor him closely’ – Ex reveals West Ham 29 y/o ‘suffering’ with Achilles issue