West Ham considers late effort to sign their own equivalent of Konate.
David Moyes would sign a genuine “soldier” in this Premier League player.
While the attention on West Ham United’s frontline in the late stages of the January transfer market is understandable, David Moyes is eager to recruit players in a variety of positions.
Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen, and Lucas Paqueta are all sidelined, with the latter not scheduled to return until March, so it’s no surprise that the Irons are negotiating a loan deal with Al-Ittihad for Portuguese winger Jota before Thursday’s deadline.
Pablo Fornals is close to joining Real Betis, and a £15 million fee has been agreed with French side Lyon for the transfer of Said Benrahma to facilitate the exciting arrival, while Kalvin Phillips completed a loan move to the London Stadium from Manchester City last week.
It was obviously a slow start to the window, but things are heating up now, and Moyes may attempt to capitalise on the frenzy of the window’s final weeks by moving on interest in a Premier League player who has yet to play this season.
West Ham eyeing Premier League defender
According to Sky Sports transfer correspondent Dharmesh Sheth, energetic Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah is on West Ham’s radar, with manager David Moyes keeping an eye on the player, who has not appeared this season due to a hamstring injury recurrence in August.
The Hammers were interested in signing Chalobah in the summer and could return in the coming days, with a proposal of roughly £25 million suggested for his sale earlier in the season.
Chelsea established a £45 million asking price for the 23-year-old last summer, but no suitors came forward, and such a number is unlikely to be matched now, with Chalobah on the fringes and yet to feature this season.
Trevoh Chalobah could be Moyes’ own Ibrahima Konate
Chalobah may not have played this season, but he established himself as a versatile and promising Premier League player for a faltering Chelsea side last season, with talent scout Jacek Kulig praising his “ice cold” composure.
Chalobah has made 63 appearances for Chelsea, scoring four goals and demonstrating his versatility on the pitch with strong performances in central defence, out wide and as an anchor in midfield.
According to FBref, the 6’3 titan ranks among the top 5% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions over the last year, the top 12% for passes attempted, the top 17% for progressive passes, the top 12% for progressive carries, the top 4% for successful take-ons, and the top 7% for tackles per 90.
The £50,000-per-week ace is clearly a good distributor with a sophisticated and commanding presence. Given that he is seen as a similar player to Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate, Moyes may be onto something in studying Chalobah’s situation in west London.
Konate joined Liverpool in 2020 after Jurgen Klopp’s side satisfied his £36 million release clause with RB Leipzig, and while the France international’s health has fluctuated, he has been dubbed as a “absolute beast” for recent displays.
Joel Matip’s season-ending injury exacerbated a lack of depth in Liverpool’s defensive ranks, but Konate’s recent efforts have proved critical for the Premier League table-toppers as they compete for trophies on numerous fronts this season.
According to Sofascore, the 24-year-old has completed 89% of his passes in 15 Premier League games this season, averaging 0.4 crucial passes, 1.5 tackles, and 4.3 ball recoveries per game, while winning 65% of his contested duels.
Furthermore, the 6-foot-4 colossus is in the top 20% of positional peers for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for passes attempted, the top 14% for progressive passes, the top 15% for successful take-ons, the top 10% for tackles, and the top 8% for aerial wins per 90.
There is a clear resemblance between Konate and Chalobah, and while the Chelsea player has a leaner, rangier build, he is still a towering defender who has been dubbed a “soldier” in the backline by former Blues manager Graham Potter for his commanding and combative efforts.
How Chalobah would slot in at West Ham
Chalobah’s forward-thinking attitude to play, as a natural and progressive distributor, would be an ideal match for a Hammers team aiming to absorb pressure and blast the ball through the lanes into danger areas.
His tactical acumen and passing precision are appealing aspects of his skill set, and while Chelsea went by the wayside last season, he did able to exhibit the core of his abilities in 25 appearances in the top division.
Chalobah completed 89% of his passes during the 2022/23 season, averaging 1.2 tackles and 2.2 clearances per game while winning 63% of his ground duels.
While West Ham are focusing on strengthening the frontline, it is sensible to make plans to obtain the services of a quality defender in Chalobah, who might follow in the footsteps of Hammers captain Kurt Zouma by transferring to east London and launching his career.
