The West Ham United man is linked with a return to Germany, but Slaven Bilic should keep him.
Kicker reported at the weekend that three Bundesliga clubs are willing to sign West Ham United’s Havard Nordtveit.
According to the German outlet, Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg are interested in signing the Norwegian midfielder, who spent five successful years with Borussia Monchengladbach prior to joining the Hammers for free last summer.
Hoffenheim, in particular, are very much a club on the up after qualifying for the Champions League and if they’re genuinely interested then perhaps it is the wake-up call that Slaven Bilic needs. They enter into the preliminary stages, where a huge financial bonus awaits if they reach the group stages. If Nordtveit is on their radar then the former Besiktas coach must wonder if he is missing something.
The 26-year-old is not a hugely popular figure among West Ham fans following a very unspectacular first season with the Londoners. In fact, many supporters struggle to forgive him after conceding a last-minute penalty in the 3-2 defeat away to Tottenham in the first half of the campaign, after coming on as a substitute.
But the fact of the matter is that the former Arsenal youth got very few chances to impress in defensive midfield. Instead, Bilic used him as a makeshift right-back and he admittedly did not cover himself in glory in what was clearly an uncomfortable role for him.
With Pedro Obiang impressing in central midfield, it is hard to blame Bilic for not using him there, but The Mirror reported at the weekend that Everton are keen on bringing in the Spaniard – a potential departure which could pave the way for Nordtveit to stake a claim as the Irons’ anchorman.
He has not been given a fair crack of the whip in London and it would be a shame for the Croat to sell him without giving the Norway international a platform in which to showcase his talent, because there is clearly something there.
With over 150 Bundesliga appearances, Nordtveit, who left Monchengladbach as captain and is one of the few West Ham men to hold Champions League experience, is obviously a talented footballer and Bilic can’t sell him until he knows for certain that he isn’t good enough.
Having also been a free transfer, the Hammers have very little to lose by keeping him, but a lot to potentially gain – if he is given a fair chance.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
