West Ham United need to get it right in the summer transfer window and Brighton playmaker could be the answer.
Brighton’s Anthony Knockaert celebrates after the game
The Hammers have turned their season around since Christmas and despite a dip in form of late are sitting in the relative comfort of 11th place in the Premier League.
In truth, midtable is likely to be the highest they can finish given the gap to the likes of Everton above them while there is no danger of Slaven Bilic‘s side being dragged into the relegation dogfight.
While the mediocrity of midtable may not provide an exciting end to the season for fans of the East London club, it does give Bilic and co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan plenty of time to prepare their summer recruitment.
The Hammers got things badly wrong last summer as they diluted their squad with a glut of poor quality free transfers and flop loan signings despite promising supporters big name marquee signings as they took up residence at their new 60,000 seater Olympic Stadium home.
Having lost star man Dimitri Payet in January the club faces a big task to bring in better quality players to compete with the Premier League elite.
And Bilic should go big – as the Hammers would undoubtedly have to – in a bid to land a like for like replacement for Payet in the shape of Brighton’s Anthony Knockaert.
The 25-year-old is on course to be named the Championship Player of the Season and has 13 goals from 36 games this term as well as countless assists.
A skillful number 10 in the Payet mould, Knockaert has also proved he is willing to work for his teammates and has been leading the fight from the front to help Brighton to the verge of promotion to the top flight.
Brighton’s Anthony Knockaert in action
Knockaert is nearly five years younger than his compatriot Payet and has a slightly better goal record over his career so far with 57 goals in 240 games (1 every 4.2 matches) compared to Payet’s 94 in 462 (1 every 4.9 matches).
Knockaert would also likely hit the ground running given he is already settled and accustomed to football in England, something Bilic has highlighted will be a big factor in future transfers.
While Brighton look a good bet to be promoted, Huddersfield will be just three points behind them and Newcastle if they win their game in hand.
Whether the Seagulls do go up or not, the Hammers might be able to tempt them with a big money bid which would give Chris Hughton extra funds to improve his squad for the demands of the Premier League or a renewed push for promotion next season.
Dimitri Payet with Hammers boss Slaven Bilic in his last game before leaving
Signing Knockaert would send out the right message and fits with West Ham’s policy of recruiting young, hungry players with good fitness records.
Given the Brighton star’s talents, Bilic would undoubtedly face competition for his signature but a move to West Ham would represent a step up for the player in terms of stature and ambition, playing in front of 66,000 people every other week from next season.
West Ham would undoubtedly have to shell out a club record fee in excess of the £20.5 million they paid for Andre Ayew if they were to have any chance of landing the former Standard Liege and Leicester City man.
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