West Ham United are reportedly tracking Arsenal and former Manchester United and Liverpool stars in the wake of Aaron Cresswell’s injury.
West Ham’s Aaron Cresswell is out for up to four months
The hugely influential left-back was hurt in a challenge during last Saturday’s pre-season victory over German second tier side Karlsruher SC in Austria and will be out for up to four months.
Cresswell has been a revelation since signing from Ipswich Town for just £3million in the summer of 2014 and has been a virtual ever present for the Hammers.
A dejected Slaven Bilic
Hammers will miss action man
His all action, energetic displays have made him a firm favourite with Hammers fans and he is one of Slaven Bilic‘s most crucial players both defensively and offensively.
It is a cruel blow for the East Londoners and also for Cresswell who would have fancied his chances of a long overdue England call now the man who signed him for West Ham, Sam Allardyce, has been handed the Three Lions hotseat.
West Ham’s head of medical and sports science Stijn Vandenbroucke revealed the bad news on the club’s official website on Monday evening.
Slaven Bilic has been credited with interest in a variety of different left-backs to replace Cresswell.
Alex Buttner in his Manchester United days
Alex Buttner
The former Manchester United flop is currently with Dynamo Moscow where he has played just 20 games since signing back in 2014.
A fiery character, the Dutchman cited a lack of playing time and a personal rift between himself and future United coach Louis van Gaal as the reason of his departure from Old Trafford.
Things haven’t worked out in Moscow either, though, and he was loaned out to Anderlecht last season.
According to FOX Sports, the Hammers are interested in bringing Buttner back to the Premier League but it remains to be seen whether that would be on loan or a permanent deal.
Jose Enrique has left Liverpool and is a free agent
Jose Enrique
Hammers fans will not be relishing a Daily Star report which has linked the club with Spaniard Jose Enrique, despite his Premier League experience.
He burst onto the scene with Newcastle as a swashbuckling left-back and notched 119 appearances for the Magpies before moving to Liverpool in 2011.
But a series of injuries limited his game time on Merseyside with only 76 appearances for the Reds in his five years there.
Now a free agent, Enrique would undoubtedly be over the moon to seal a move to a club very much on the up.
But it would be a signing that stinks of the West Ham of old, offering one last pay day to a player well past his best.
Kieran Gibbs’ Arsenal future is in doubt
Kieran Gibbs
But Bilic should target another Englishman in his bid to replace Cresswell in the shape of Gunners man Kieran Gibbs.
The England international has lost his left-back place to Nacho Monreal at the Emirate and was also not selected in the Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2016 squad.
The Telegraph reported earlier this year that Gibbs could be moved on by Arsene Wenger and Bilic could do a lot worse than to bring in the defender on loan with an option to make the move permanent.
While Cresswell would be the number one left-back on his return from injury, having a player of Gibbs’ quality and experience would mean Bilic is not forced to rush one of his key players back before he is fully ready.
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