Darren Bent thinks West Ham United should look to sign Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings, after he questioned if there has been a falling out with his manager, Steven Gerrard.
The Aston Villa boss stripped Mings of the captain’s armband this summer, then dropped him to the bench for their opening defeat to Bournemouth.
There has been a lot of talk about the two since then, their relationship and whether Mings has a future at Villa, as Bent thinks West Ham should look at him, as he told talkSPORT.
One of Mings’ best mates, Conor Coady, recently made a loan move from Wolves to Everton because he needed game time ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
Villa’s £20 million signing (BBC Sport) is surely thinking the same, that’s if he continues to warm the bench before the 2022 summer transfer window slams shut on September 1.
Nonetheless, this is what ex-Villa striker Bent had to say about the Mings/Gerrard situation and the player’s future in the Midlands.
“It sounds like it’s not just on the pitch value or face value,” said Bent. “Maybe there is something deeper going on there because, by Steven Gerrard saying ‘when he looks me in the eye, then I will put him back in’, that tells me there is something else in the background.
“When I look at Tyrone Mings, certainly last season, it wasn’t his best by any stretch of the imagination. When they got him in 2019, he was one of the key factors. He got himself into the England team and done very well.
“Maybe last season, he lost his way a little bit. Defensively, not as assured as I have seen him before. Not as comfortable on the ball. Maybe there is something else going on.
“If I am a team that needs a centre-half, and he’s available, then I would go and get him. I think you have to go and get him. You are talking about an international, he’s a lefty as well, so he gives you balance. West Ham, of course, Diop (has gone) to Fulham. They are short of a couple of CB’s.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if someone tempts Villa with a little bid for Tyrone Mings. It’s World Cup year and he will want to play.”
WOULD DAVID MOYES WANT MINGS?
There’s no doubt that West Ham, ahead of another European run, could do with more cover at the back, but would David Moyes want to sign Mings?
The player now has experience in bucket loads, despite only becoming a Premier League regular in his mid-20s.
The 29-year-old is also an England international, although, he was left out of Gareth Southgate’s last squad and he’s not winning that place back by sitting on the bench.
Nonetheless, given that Moyes is pretty thorough in how he concludes deals, he likes to check things 10 times over before he lets a new face into his squad.
And given Mings’ error-prone past, it just might work against the former Bournemouth and Ipswich Town player.
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