West Ham Opinion: Why Gustavo Cuellar would be a good move for West Ham
According to Brazilian journalist Gustavo Henrique, West Ham are closing in on the capture of Flamengo midfielder Gustavo Cuellar this summer. The Hammers are expected to pay around €30 million for the player.
Gustavo Cuellar, 26, has managed to impress for Colombia and his club, Flamengo, in recent years. Gustavo Henrique also claims the midfielder will join West Ham after the Copa America.
As far as West Ham are concerned, the Londoners need a few additions this summer to take another step forward under Manuel Pellegrini. They finished on a high in the past campaign, winning the final three games to settle on the tenth spot in the table. And considering the dismal start the Hammers endured in the 2018/19, a tenth-placed finish will be deemed as an achievement.
After a decent debut season at the London stadium, Pellegrini faces a massive summer ahead of him and he has already started well by signing two back-up goalkeepers in David Martin and Roberto. The Chilean tactician must now shift his focus on reinforcing the midfield.
Carlos Sanchez and Jack Wilshere endured injury woes this past season, and adding a reliable midfielder to support Mark Noble and Declan Rice would be ideal. Pellegrini has an option in Pedro Obiang, but the Spanish-born midfielder is too inconsistent. Keeping that in mind, a move for Gustavo Cuellar makes proper sense.
Cuellar is a combative holding midfielder, who has played only in South America so far in his career. He is tenacious, industrious and a lively presence in midfield. A tough tackler, the Colombian is not only excellent at breaking up play but also can initiate attacks from the base of the midfield.
The 26-year-old protects the back four very well, using his positional awareness and tackling traits. He may be a conservative passer of the ball but at least keeps things tidy to help his tick over. Cuellar is also quick through the ground and could potentially form a superb partnership with Declan Rice in West Ham’s midfield.
Noble is clearly past his prime and he will need to be rotated more often from next season onwards. The presence of the reliable Cuellar will allow that to happen, whilst improving the Hammers’ quality in the midfield department. Moreover, the partnership of Rice and Cuellar will allow the likes of Felipe Anderson, Manuel Lanzini and Michail Antonio to play with more freedom and cause damage to the opposition.
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All in all, the 26-year-old Flamengo ace is exactly the type of midfielder Pellegrini would want in his squad this summer.
Verdict
Cuellar has the quality to make an instant impact at West Ham. Without any second thoughts, the Hammers would be getting a player that could be playing a crucial role in getting them a place in Europe next term.
