West Ham Opinion: Why the Hammers must make a move for Fabian Delph?
According to a report from the Manchester Evening News, West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini wants to reunite with Manchester City midfielder Fabian Delph at the London Stadium.
The England international, 29, struggled last season to get regular game time at Manchester City, managing only eight Premier League starts under Pep Guardiola. He may have struggled to establish himself as a regular starter at City due to heavy competition and injury problems, but the versatile midfielder would be a smart signing for West Ham.
Manuel Pellegrini has already started shaping his squad, with the Hammers releasing the likes of Andy Carroll, Adrian and Samir Nasri at the end of their contracts on July 1. Edimilson Fernandes has left the club and joined German club, FSV Mainz. The West Ham manager must use the money received from Fernandes’ sale in addressing the problems of his squad.
And the midfield is one of the areas that should be at the top of Pellegrini’s wishlist. Declan Rice and Mark Noble were regulars in the Hammers midfield this past season, while Pedro Obiang was a decent squad player. The likes of Jack Wilshere and Carlos Sanchez struggled with injuries and couldn’t make the impact at the club that was expected from them.
Wilshere, especially, after the midfielder endured another injury-hit season in the Premier League. West Ham’s gamble of handing the injury-prone Englishman a three-year deal certainly hasn’t paid off and Pellegrini simply cannot rely on Wilshere again.
To build a squad capable of breaking into the top six next season, signing Fabian Delph would be a step in the right direction for the Hammers. The versatile Englishman would easily slot into West Ham first-team, potentially forming a strong midfield trio alongside Rice and Noble. He’ll push the likes of Wilshere, Noble and Sanchez for regular starts in the engine room.
Essentially a central midfielder by trade, Delph is also versatile enough to play as a defensive midfielder and left-back, owing to his passing, energy and work-rate. Strong on the tackle and quick across the ground, the 29-year-old can read the game well and chip in with crucial goals. Furthermore, he’ll bring winning mentality at West Ham having tasted rich success at Manchester City.
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Pellegrini has worked with Delph and knows inside out about the midfielder’s strengths and weaknesses. The Chilean, therefore, should not hesitate in making a move for the ex-Aston Villa man.
Verdict
Delph would bring energy, versatility and a winning mentality to the West Ham team looking to take next. Splashing around £15m on the midfielder could be a smart investment for Pellegrini and co. this window.
