Will New Signings Save the Season?

Slaven Bilic told reporters in today’s press conference that the Hammers were looking to sign “a couple of different positions” in the January transfer window. While Bilic refused to single out any targets, as usual, the rumor mill has been working overtime to figure out who the West Ham manager might be looking to sign.

An obvious place to start would be right back, as the team had to rely on Havard Nordtveit, who usually plays in the midfield, to play at fullback against Liverpool. And Alvaro Arbeloa might have had the worst performance of his career against Arsenal the week before after coming on for the injured Cheikhou Kouyate.

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The team has been linked to a number of defenders in the press, with Branislav Ivanovic being the biggest name that has been mentioned. However, recent reports suggest that West Ham have looked to trigger the release clause for Sunderland’s Lamine Kone. The Ivory Coast international has been rock solid for Sunderland this year, and while he is a centreback, bringing in any good defender is seen as a priority for West Ham in the January window.

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Another position that the fans and the press seem to think that West Ham need to address is striker. Again, a number of names have been linked in the past, with players such as AC Milan’s Bacca or Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge the biggest on the list. New to the rumor mill is Sassulo’s Gregoire Defrel. The French forward is also a rumored target of Liverpool.

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Midfield has been one of the lone bright spots for the Hammers this season, but you can never have too many of them, right? A few names have been rumored, but a new name that popped up is CSKA Moscow’s Russian international Alan Dzagoev. Dzagoev had been rumored to be on the move to England years ago, but will West Ham be the one to pry him from Russia? And would he even be able to adjust to the Premier League in time to help West Ham advance up the table?

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Porto’s Yacinie Brahimi has also been linked with a move to East London, but so have at least half a dozen other clubs, so take that news with a grain of salt. And finally, what would a transfer rumor be without another Chelsea player involved. Roma is rumored to be after supposed West Ham target Cesc Fabregas. Unless Fabregas is intent on attempting to play for every London Premier League club, don’t get ready to pencil him in next to Noble in the midfield just yet.