Kerry Mayodi
David Moyes has promised West Ham fans that he will get a new defender before the transfer window shuts at the end of this month.
The Hammers kicked off the 2021-22 Premier League season by securing all three points when they travelled to St. James Park to face Newcastle united.
Goals from Aaron Cresswell, Said Benrahma, Tomas Soucek and Michail Antonio saw West Ham come from behind twice to beat Newcastle 2-4.
Moyes was not entirely happy however, as they conceded cheap goals from crosses into the box.
This highlighted the much need for a new defender especially now that Fredrik Alves has been loaned out to Sunderland.
Angelo Ogbonna, Craig Dawson and Issa Diop are West Ham’s current options at the back, though teenager Jamal Baptiste was on the bench at Newcastle.
Moyes believes that it is imperative for his side to sign a new defender as the club has more commitments this season with the Europa League being part of their season campaign.
Moyes has told Football.London that he ‘will’ add a defender, seemingly having real confidence that a new face is coming soon, and hopes to add other players soon too.
“I have 17-year-old centre-half Jamal who I want involved in the first-team training but undoubtedly I am going to try and add to the squad,” said Moyes. “And I will be adding a defender and maybe other players as well but then if I don’t then I will be happy if the players perform as well as they did today,” he added.
West Ham have been linked with Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma for a while now, with the Hammers apparently willing to pay up to £20 million for the 26-year-old, but the Blues are looking for £28 million.
Zouma is now into the final two years of his existing contract at Stamford Bridge, having been at the club since the summer of 2014 after signing for £13.1million from Saint-Etienne.
