West Ham United target Ibrahima Sissoko is a similar player to former Irons target Amadou Onana.
That is according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was speaking to This is Futbol about the Hammers’ transfer plans going into the remaining few weeks of the window.
With under three weeks until the Premier League transfer window shuts on 1st September, David Moyes is still searching for another centre-midfielder to add to his squad as he looks to find ways to balance the team’s fitness with domestic and Europa Conference League campaigns ahead.
Journalist Ignazio Genuardi stated earlier this month that the Irons have now turned their attention to Strasbourg midfielder Sissoko this season, after missing out on Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski and Onana, who has recently joined Everton.
But O’Rourke believes that Sissoko is a player built in the same mould as the former Lille man, and that Moyes will likely be looking at a midfielder to “supplement” his squad this season.
He said: “Sissoko, again a similar player to Onana. I’m sure he’s been scouted well during the French transfer [market]. Whatever missions that West Ham have been on looking at other players, I’m sure he’s appeared on their radar a lot.
“Before the transfer window, I’m sure David Moyes would be looking to add that defensive midfielder just to supplement the squad, because he hasn’t really replaced Mark Noble who retired in summer, and also Alex Král had his loan ended after a spell from Spartak Moscow.
“So it is a position in the team that he really does need to add to.”
TIF Thoughts on O’Rourke’s comments…
We agree with O’Rourke and believe that Moyes could do with being provided with another senior midfielder to boost his squad this season, with the club only having Declan Rice, Tomáš Soucek and the inexperienced pair of Flynn Downes and Conor Coventry as midfield options as it stands.
As a defensive midfielder, Sissoko is still very attack-minded, and this is shown by the fact that he ranks in the top 6% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues and European competition for progressive passes received per 90 minutes (4.68) over the last 365 days according to FBref, whilst the same stats provider also ranks him in the top 9% for touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 (2.81).
Therefore, we believe that the 24-year-old would be a smart addition at the London Stadium, as the 6ft 4in defensive midfielder appears to be built in the Rice and Soucek mould of being an all-rounder, judging by his stats over the last year compared to his midfield counterparts.