Ryan Fredericks made only his third Premier League appearance last weekend.
And if Vladimir Coufal hadn’t been torn limb from limb by a blood-thirsty Harvey Barnes, then West Ham United’s seldom-seen right-back would still be stuck on two.
With Leicester 2-1 up at the King Power Stadium and pushing for more – Barnes having roasted Coufal before setting up Ricardo Pereira’s 57th minute header – manager David Moyes obviously felt he had no choice but to turn to a man who’s found game-time increasingly hard to come by in claret-and-blue.
Fredericks might lack Coufal’s aggression or technique. But he had exactly the attribute required to quell Barnes’ growing influence.
Pure, unfiltered speed.
Does Ryan Fredericks have a future at West Ham?
Moyes wants more from his full-backs than pace, however. And with Ben Johnson moving ahead of him in the pecking order too, Fredericks has been limited to just three starts in all competitions this term.
Two of those came in the FA Cup, one against non-league Kidderminster Harriers.
Fredericks’ contract expires in the summer. An extension, given lack of opportunities since the arrival of Coufal and the emergence of Johnson, feels highly unlikely. Especially with reports suggesting that Moyes is keen to add another right-back to his squad.
According to AllNigeriaSoccer, West Ham have joined Crystal Palace and Leeds in the race for Ola Aina.
The former Chelsea youngster, who played alongside current Hammers shot-stopper Alphonse Areola at Fulham last term, has come on leaps and bounds in Serie A with Torino.
BILD believe that Rasmus Kristensen, a Denmark international Moyes has twice tried to sign before, is back on the radar too. Kristensen has nine goals and seven assists from right-back this term, and will feature against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Will West Ham sign a new right-back?
On Tuesday, West Ham announced that Keenan Appiah-Forson, one of the stars of an impressive U23 side, had signed a new deal. A midfielder by trade, Appiah-Forson has caught the eye when deployed at right-back too.
And this is without mentioning the exciting Harrison Ashby.
Yes, West Ham’s squad is thin. Unbalanced even. But it’s hardy lacking in the right-back department.
According to The Standard, Fredericks was tempted to look for employment elsewhere during the January window. By the summer, that decision may be taken out of his hands.
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