Julen Lopetegui needs to strengthen his right-back ranks at West Ham United in the summer transfer window.
West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui has attacked the transfer market ruthlessly this summer, and has already completed the signing of Luis Guilherme.
There apparently will be at least six new arrivals at the London Stadium in the summer transfer window, but I think the number of new signings will end up being closer to 8-10.
Lopetegui needs to strengthen pretty much every department of his Hammers squad, but right-back is a real area of concern in my opinion – a position that is maybe being overlooked.
Vladimir Coufal will be 32 in August, and we still don’t know whether or not Ben Johnson will actually be a West Ham player next season.
Even if the Hammers do manage to tie the 24-year-old down to a new deal, bringing in an upgrade on him and Coufal will be crucial.
And Lopetegui seems to have a plan up his sleeve to do exactly that…
West Ham eyeing summer transfer window right-back move
Coufal has been a an extremely solid player for the Hammers over the years, but it’s clear to me that he regressed over the past six months or so.
The Czech Republic isn’t the highly energetic, pacy and powerful modern-day full-back that we see so often in the Premier League now.
The same can be said for the left-back department, in spite of just how good Emerson Palmieri has been for us over the past year or so.
It’s clearly something that Lopetegui has identified, and the Spaniard is already on his way to strengthening his left-back ranks with a move to sign Jayden Oosterwolde.
And now, West Ham have a bargain move in the pipeline to sign a top quality defender, albeit a somewhat unheralded one.
Lopetegui is ready to strengthen his right-back ranks at the London Stadium with a £3 million move this summer.
That’s according to Guardian journalist Will Unwin, who claims that Al-Hilal and Saudi Arabia right-back Saud Abdulhamid is on the Hammers’ radar.
The 24-year-old already has 28 caps for Saudi Arabia, and he has impressed for Al-Hilal over the past few years.
He has five goals and 18 assists in 113 games for his club, possesses exceptional pace and is an extremely tenacious tackler.
Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus absolutely raved about Abdulhamid last month when speaking to Arab News.
He said, “Saud Abdulhamid is extraordinary. In the 90th minute he is still going at full speed. He can always improve, and I expect the best from him. Saudi players in general are open to developing tactically.”
For just £3 million, West Ham can’t go wrong by signing Saud Abdulhamid in the summer transfer window.
Whether we’re able to beat the other clubs in the race for his signature remains to be seen though.
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