West Ham have had a decent run in the Premier League this season. The Hammers slipped to 11th in the standings after a shock 2-0 defeat at the hands of Burnley but a top ten finish is well within their reach if they can put together a consistent run in the second half of the season.
The fans might have expected more from their team, especially, after spending close to a £100 million in the summer. Manuel Pellegrini splashed the cash to bring in as many as nine new faces ahead of the campaign but West Ham got off to the worst possible start, losing each of their first four games in the Premier League.
To be honest, they have recovered from their early setbacks and credit has to be given to Manuel Pellegrini for bringing the best out of an injury-stricken unit. West Ham have as many as nine players on the treatment table, many of which were supposed to be the mainstays of the first team.
Inconsistency has been the major cause of concern for the manager this season, with the Hammers dropping points against the less-fancied teams like Burnley, Huddersfield Town and Brighton over the last couple of months. And vulnerability at the back is one of the issues that Pellegrini needs to address in the January transfer window.
Pablo Zabaleta has been a consistent performer on the right-hand side of the backline while Aaron Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku have been rotated on the left.
However, the injury to summer signing Ryan Fredericks has rendered Pellegrini short of options at the back, with the Chilean bring forced to utilize Michail Antonio in an unfamiliar role. Zabaleta is at the twilight of his career and is doubtful to continue playing in the Premier League beyond this season. Hence, West Ham need to strengthen their right-back options in January to avoid a potential burnout.
To put things into perspective, Kasimpasa’s Bulgarian international right-back Strahil Popov would be an ideal signing for the Hammers in January. The hugely experienced 28-year-old played for Bulgarian clubs Litex Lovech, Lokomotiv Mezdra and Montana before making a move to Turkish Super Lig club Kasimpasa in 2016.
Popov, who has 22 international caps to his name, has racked up 102 appearances for Kasimpasa, accumulating 2 goals and 14 assists across all competitions. He has been in prime form for Bulgaria at the UEFA Nations League where he has chipped in with 4 assists.
Standing at 6ft. 1 inch with a tall and strong frame, Popov is a combination of a traditional old-school full-back and a modern-day flying full-back. While the Bulgarian is a good reader of the game at the back and has the ability to break up the play and win possession back with crucial tackles and interceptions, he is equally adept at passing the ball around and linking up with his teammates in the final third.
He has an excellent disciplinary record and does not tend to dive into reckless challenges, showing a very measured approach at the back and keeping the opposition at bay with his long strides and superior positional sense. Furthermore, he is a good crosser of the ball and can create chances with his deliveries into the box. Popov has averaged 1 interception, 2.2 tackles, 3.7 clearances, 1.4 key passes, 1.6 crosses and 2.4 successful long balls per game in the Turkish top flight this term, figures which lie evidence to his well-rounded nature as a full-back.
Hence, Strahil Popov has all the attributes to provide cover and competition for the likes of Zabaleta and Fredericks and West Ham should try to lure him to the Premier League in January.