Oxlade-Chamberlain in action for Liverpool during this pre-season. (imago Images)
According to the Express, West Ham United are considering a loan transfer for Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Englishman missed a considerable part of last season due to injury but would be raring to go for the games that lie ahead. And the Hammers are one club that could look to get him in for next season.
The 27-year-old came through the youth ranks at Southampton before Arsenal signed him in 2011. Six years later, Oxlade-Chamberlain signed for Jurgen Klopp’s Reds. Since then, he has won a number of big trophies at Liverpool. But, is signing him temporarily the right move for David Moyes? Let us find out in the article below.
The Hammers have plenty of central midfielders in their squad right now. While Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek are defensive midfielders by trade, the Czech Republic international is not shy of getting into the attacking box. He mustered an impressive tally of 10 league goals last season, ensuring that the burden of scoring was not always on the attack.
Similarly, the club also has a couple of talented playmakers in Pablo Fornals and Manuel Lanzini. The 25-year-old Spaniard is an able conductor in the number 10 role and would be supplemented by the availability of the Argentine, Lanzini. With two of them in their prime years and available for next season, Moyes shouldn’t have difficulty replacing the departed Jesse Lingard.
Mark Noble is 34 but the West Ham captain would want to think he has at least one more season left in him. And 21-year-old Conor Coventry, formerly with the West Ham U23 squad, should be optimistic about seeing minutes this season. One case that can be made about the Hammers signing ‘Ox’ is the midfielder’s versatility.
In the past, he has played as a right wing-back in a five-man backline and as a right-winger before being transformed into a central midfielder. But those are positions West Ham don’t really have any shortage in. Michail Antonio, Xande Silva, Andriy Yarmolenko, Jarrod Bowen, and Said Benrahma are all capable of playing out wide for Moyes’ side.
As for the position of a wing-back, West Ham have usually played a four-at-the-back system under Moyes. Even if they do decide to play with wing-backs, as they did a few times last season, Ryan Fredericks, Vladimir Coufal, Antonio, and 21-year-old Englishman Ben Johnson would all be fancying their chances down the right-hand side.
It would be wiser to hand minutes to Johnson and Coventry rather than Chamberlain because the youngsters can use that experience in the future. And unlike Oxlade-Chamberlain, if West Ham do sign him on loan, the duo is more likely to stay at the London Stadium for several years to come.
Another deal-breaker would be the former Gunners’ injury issues. The England international has had a number of major and minor injuries during his time in London and Merseyside. It would be a nightmare situation for Moyes if he brings in the injury-prone midfielder for one season, and he manages to pick up another fitness issue. It is better for the Hammers to avoid such a risky temporary solution.
Instead, as the report by Express mentions, the Hammers should focus on signing either one of Manchester United’s Lingard or West Brom’s Matheus Pereira on a permanent basis. That would offer them greater security going beyond the current season as compared to bringing in a player for just one year.
