Ryan Fredericks’ future at West Ham United could be in a little bit of jeopardy following news surrounding Hammers transfer target Ola Aina.
Fredericks has had something of a tough time in east London since his arrival on a free transfer in the summer of 2018. Whilst he has managed to pick up 72 appearances for the Hammers, it could have been an awful lot more were it not for his constant issues when it came to staying fit.
However, West Ham United’s business in the transfer market could mean that his time could be about to come to a rather swift end sooner rather than later.
Who might be coming in?
According to reports, the Hammers are showing an interest in the Nigeria international – who is capable of playing a number of positions but is naturally a right-back – ahead of a possible bid this summer, and it might have become a little bit easier for them to bring him on board.
According to Calciomercato, Torino have set their asking price at just €10m (£8.3m) for the 25-year-old, who was most recently seen in England with Fulham during their spell in the Premier League in 2020/21.
And given how thin West Ham find themselves in a number of areas, bringing in someone with his versatility, as well as Premier League experience, could give them a major boost heading into next season.
The end of the line for Fredericks?
Having only made one start in the league so far – with the rest of Fredericks’ 10 appearances this season coming in various cup competitions – whilst the likes of Ben Johnson and Vladimir Coufal take their turns in holding down the fort at the back, the 29-year-old has been starved of opportunities to show what he can do.
Add to that, the fact that his contract is set to run out at the end of the season, and unless something drastic happens in terms of injuries to the players ahead of him between now and the end of the campaign, you doubt he’s going to get much of a chance to prove to the club that he warrants a new one.
In your opinion, is Ryan Fredericks overrated or underrated by supporters?
Overrated, he's just not good enough
Underrated, fans are too harsh
TIF Verdict…
So it does seem as if the club might be looking to bring in another body to not only replace Fredericks, but also to provide cover for a couple of other positions within the side.
This comes across as a smart move on their front, considering that they can kill multiple birds with one stone by bringing in someone with Aina’s versatility, especially at such a cut-down price.
And at least when it comes to West Ham, they didn’t spend anything on Fredericks, so all they’re losing are his wages rather than feeling they wasted money on him over the years.
The only thing that Fredericks can hope for between now and the end of the season is a few more chances to showcase his stuff so that he can put himself in the best position to find a new club next season.
In other news: Lost possession 20 times: West Ham ace given a 6/10 after 0% dribbling display