ThewolfIt’s early days yet, but West Ham United are showing signs of promise under the leadership of new head coach Julen Lopetegui, who defeated Crystal Palace in his second Premier League match in charge.
West Ham fizzled out under David Moyes last season and have backed the freshly-arrived Spaniard to the hilt, spending over £120m on first-team signings.
There may yet be room for one or two more, however, and with James Ward-Prowse reportedly on Nottingham Forest’s shortlist as the window enters its final week, an exciting midfielder edges closer to east London.
West Ham transfer news
According to Sky Sports’ Dharmeth Sheth, West Ham are locked in negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain for versatile midfielder Carlos Soler, with “talks ongoing over the fee and structure”.
Last week, Fabrizio Romano claimed that the Hammers are “leading the race“, but that other clubs are also keen. PSG want a sum in the ballpark of £20m to let the 27-year-old go but are willing to discuss a loan package.
Where Carlos Soler would fit into West Ham’s team
A key point: Lopetegui’s tactical set-up is flexible and would benefit from another midfielder who operates across a range of areas. Soler, indeed, has actually been hailed as the “complete midfielder” by former Valencia star Curro Torres.
The Spaniard is one of the most fluid midfielders around, and he could benefit from jumping across the Channel and plying his trade somewhere anew, having only started 26 Ligue 1 fixtures since signing for PSG from Spanish side Valencia for €20m (about £17m) in 2022.
Still, he’s potent and would offer an extra goalscoring dimension to ensure that Lopetegui’s Irons stray away from becoming one-dimensional, predictable.
Indeed, as per FBref, Soler ranks among the top 11% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 19% for assists, the top 18% for passes attempted and the top 10% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90.
A ball-playing specialist with one eye for goal and the other for an assist, Soler would be a credit to his new-look West Ham team, perhaps even proving to displace in-form Tomas Soucek in the starting line-up, on the whole.
That might be an unpopular take: Soucek is one of those clutch players that always seems to find circles of space in the right moments, an innate predatory instinct if you will.
The Czech Republic international, 29, netted ten times over all competitions last year and has been praised in the past as “one of those players who turns up in big moments” by pundit Joe Cole.
However, the towering 6 foot 3 titan has also lost 60% of his ground duels this season and could find that his role is performed to a better standard through Soler, even if he has started the new term in goalscoring touch.
Soler is silky and inventive, and while he has an eye for goal, he can also influence play from deep and dictate passing passages. Should West Ham go ahead with the move, it might prove to be bad news for Soucek, who would find himself playing more of a bit-part role.
Though, really, would that be the worst thing in the world? Lopetegui would gain a dynamic new option to better implement his tactical style, while Soucek would still earn opportunities off the bench to inflict damage on United’s opposition.
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