Stoke City’s Championship left-back Erik Pieters is reportedly an option for Newcastle, but Premier League rivals West Ham need a new defender too.
After just a few months of Championship football for Stoke City, it seems that Erik Pieters may already be headed for the Premier League.
According to The Chronicle, Newcastle United are after a left-back after regular starter Paul Dummett suffered an injury, and the 30-year-old Dutchman is understood to be open to a move to St James’ Park. But Newcastle are not the only team in the top flight who apparently want to reinforce the left of their defence.
Left-back has become something of a problem position for West Ham this season, too, with neither Arthur Masuaku nor Aaron Cresswell performing consistently enough to establish themselves as first choice under Manuel Pellegrini.
Greek publication Sportdog claims that Hammers’ director of football Mario Husillos is keeping an eye on the Brazilian-born Olympiakos man Leonardo Koutris. But perhaps Pieters should be under consideration, too, as he has plenty of Premier League experience.
Former PSV ace Pieters may be 30 years of age, but that does not mean he would be a short-term solution. He has started 15 of Stoke’s 17 Championship games and has been one of their more consistent performers in a disappointing campaign for Gary Rowett’s side.
And Pieters is arguably a more stable defensive option than either Masuaku or Cresswell, who have been frequently exposed by opposition attackers in the last few months.
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