There were some concerns in June that West Ham United were without coin this summer, but technical director Tim Steidten and new head coach Julen Lopetegui has since dispelled that notion by getting active in the transfer market.
18-year-old winger Luis Guilherme has been signed from Palmeiras for £25.5m, while Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Max Kilman has joined the London Stadium fold in a £40m deal. Landing a new centre-forward remains a pressing concern, though a bid has been submitted to sign Aston Villa's Jhon Duran and talks are ongoing.
Harking back to that defensive point, Kilman's arrival might not actually be enough. Both Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd flattered to deceive last season and both centre-backs could be sold. Lopetegui would be wise to welcome another star to partner Kilman.
West Ham transfer news
According to French outlet Nice-Matin – via Sport Witness – West Ham are still in the lead to sign OGC Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo this summer despite seeing a €35m (£30m) offer knocked back already.
Juventus are also sniffing around, while Manchester United had been set to sign the titan but for the transfer to be scuppered by Nice and the Red Devils' shared INEOS ownership, with UEFA rules denying such a transaction.
West Ham are the only team to have made a concrete transfer offer, however, and while the Ligue 1 outfit are holding out for €40m (£34m), the Irons must now return with a second offer to complete their backline.
Why Jean-Clair Todibo would be perfect for West Ham
Kilman and Todibo would make a formidable and dynamic partnership, with the former aerially dominant and progressive on the ball and the Nice defender regarded for his rounded mastery, hailed as the "complete package" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
To further illustrate this point: as per FBref, Todibo ranked among the top 12% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues last season for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for passes attempted, the top 15% for progressive passes, the top 17% for progressive carries, the top 4% for successful take-ons and the top 17% for tackles per 90.
Lopetegui has already hinted that he's going to imprint a more possession-based style on the Hammers fold than that of his predecessor, David Moyes, who excelled in pragmaticism and counter-attacking, winning the Conference League and engineering the brightest period in West Ham's modern history.
Todibo would be perfect in that regard, ranking highly among the most active passers in Europe and proving to be combative and progressive besides. Journalist Antonio Mango hailed him as a “Rolls Royce of a CB" who's "very comfortable on the ball and likes to begin phrases of play.”
Last season, the 24-year-old started 30 matches in the French top flight, keeping 14 clean sheets, completing 90% of his passes, winning 59% of his duels and averaging 7.1 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore.
It's quite clear why he's such a touted target for some of Europe's finest teams, and if West Ham were to land him, he'd make a difference and then some, especially since he'd prove to be a monumental upgrade on club skipper Zouma.
Why Todibo would be an upgrade on Zouma
As per Nice-Matin (via Caught Offside), West Ham have been hoping to orchestrate a deal involving the Moroccan and Todibo, player-plus-cash, but have found the France defender's reluctance to move to London proving to be a stumbling block, with his sights set on Juventus instead.
Nonetheless, the Old Lady aren't in the soundest of financial situations and have already signed Douglas Luiz from Aston Villa in a £42.5m transfer this summer, requiring a player-plus-cash movement to see the move cross the line.
Kilman is the new prized possession on the left side of United's rearguard and it looks probable that Aguerd will leave regardless, and while that aforementioned proposal failed, Todibo could yet wind up in east London before the end of August.
A key factor being the promise that he would be able to saunter past Zouma into the regular starting berth alongside Kilman, with Todibo's compatriot failing to impress last term.
Journalist Jack Rosser criticised West Ham's "tired and hopeless" defence last season and singled out the "terrible" Zouma, who failed to live up to the expectations that come with the donning of the armband.
Uninspiring and languorous at times, Zouma does not fit the ball-playing mould that Lopetegui will demand, ranking among the bottom 4% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and progressive passes per 90, and the bottom 35% for pass completion.
Goals
0
3
Assists
2
0
Pass completion
90%
84%
Dribble success
64% (0.5)
67% (0.1)
Duel success
59% (4.4)
54% (2.7)
Touches per game
95.0
44.8
Key passes per game
0.3
0.1
Ball recoveries per game
7.1
2.9
Tackles per game
1.9
0.7
Interceptions per game
1.3
0.9
Clearances per game
3.1
4.8
The table above shows the stark disparity between the 29-year-old's level of performance and Todibo's. Quite frankly, it's imperative that he is sold, lest West Ham stagnate next term or even regress.
Ultimately, Lopetegui knows what he's doing and will be able to make his system work with the likes of Aguerd and Zouma at the base. But after tasting the golden heights of European endeavours over these past few years, the Hammers fanbase wants to see ambition and effective action in the transfer market, translated into first-class performances on the field.
West Ham have hit gold on phenom who's worth even more than Watkins & Duran
Julen Lopetegui must relish the chance to wield this highly talented player.
1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 12, 2024