West Ham United fans finally had something to cheer about this weekend.
After weeks and weeks of miserable form and even more miserable results in the Premier League, they finally won.
Not only that, but the Hammers beat London rivals Tottenham Hotspur with a last-minute goal that has moved them that little bit closer to safety.
Moreover, while relegation is still a genuine possibility, West Ham seem intent on improving their squad and are now being linked with someone who could become Nuno Espirito-Santo’s Mohammed Kudus.
West Ham target Kudus-like star
Given their precarious position in the table, it’s not been a surprise to see West Ham be so active in the transfer market this month.
Up top, they have already added to the strike force in the shape of former Lazio man Taty Castellanos and former Gil Vicente star Pablo Felipe.
As if that wasn’t enough, they are also on the verge of completing the signing of Venezuelan winger Keiber Lamadrid.
The 22-year-oldmight not be the last incoming either, as the club appear interested in a Premier League star who has been compared to former player Mohammed Kudus.
At least that is according to a recent report from club insider ExWHUEmployee, which claims West Ham are very interested in Adama Traoré.
In fact, the insider has revealed that the Hammers “hope to sign” the Fulham ace this month to provide more wing options, especially off the right.
It is not clear how much the Spanish dynamo would cost, but considering his current deal expires in the summer, it’s unlikely to be very much.
Therefore, while he might not be a total game-changer, West Ham should do what they can to sign Traore this month, especially as he could become Nuno’s Kudus.
Why West Ham should sign Traoré
Now, before getting into the other reasons why West Ham should sign Traoré this month, it’s worth looking at where this comparison with Kudus has come from.
After all, while he ruined his reputation amongst the fans, the Ghanaian international was a sensational player on his day.
In this instance, it stems from FBref, which states that the Spurs star has been the third-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Fulham man in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days.
|
Traoré & Kudus |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Statistics per 90 |
Traoré |
Kudus |
|
Passing Accuracy |
70.5% |
71.7% |
|
Expected Assisted Goals |
0.17 |
0.16 |
|
Crosses into the Penalty Area |
1.00 |
0.88 |
|
Successful Take-On % |
46.2% |
48.1% |
|
Carries |
27.7 |
28.1 |
|
All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 PL Season |
||
The best way to understand how such a conclusion has been reached is to take a look at which underlying metrics the pair rank closely for this season.
These include things like passing accuracy, expected assisted goals, crosses into the penalty area, successful take-on percentage, carries and more, all per 90.
In other words, while the former Wolverhampton Wanderers star might not be a goal threat himself, he is very good at getting the ball into dangerous areas for his teammates to exploit.
This is a strength fans can and often do see with their own eyes, as when the monstrous winger gets up to full speed, he really does seem, in the words of Marco Silva, “almost unstoppable.”
It’s also this trait that could make him such a useful player for Nuno and Co.
Just imagine: the opposition defenders are starting to tire, the game is getting tense, and the manager unleashes the Fulham star to cause chaos and create space for the likes of Bowen and Co to exploit.
Ultimately, while some might question his goalscoring ability, Traoré has a unique skill set and, in combination with the club’s other signings, could help West Ham avoid the drop this season.
Therefore, the Hammers have to do what they can to bring the rapid Spaniard to the London Stadium this month.
West Ham now weighing up January move for “special” £30m Championship star
The Hammers are considering a move for a “special player”.
