According to reports in The Sun on Sunday, West Ham United are ready to make a move £5m-rated Hadjuk Split midfielder Hamza Barry, but they could face competition for his signature from Premier League rivals Everton and Watford.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Sun on Sunday says that new Irons boss David Moyes is to be handed £30m to spend in the January transfer window in order to try and help the team in their relegation battle, and he is looking at Barry along with some of the east London outfit’s top flight rivals.
How has Barry done this season?
The 23-year-old central midfielder has been an impressive performer for Hadjuk Split this term, scoring one goal and providing a further five assists in 19 appearances in all competitions.
The versatile Gambia international, who has played in central attacking midfield, central midfield, defensive midfield and on either wing, has a contract with the Croatian outfit until 2020 but The Sun on Sunday says he could be available for £5m.
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Would he be a good signing for West Ham?
It’s difficult to say.
While it seems clear that the Irons need reinforcements in the middle of the park with the likes of Cheikhou Kouyate, Pedro Obiang and Mark Noble underperforming this season, whether Barry would be the answer to their problems remains to be seen.
While he has proven to be a decent enough player in the Croatian league, it would be a huge step up to perform consistently well in the Premier League for a team that could be struggling towards the wrong end of the table.
What’s the verdict, then?
Well, West Ham have been linked with Bournemouth’s Harry Arter already this month and he would certainly be a more experienced and less risky addition than Barry because of his time in the English top flight.
While Barry could be a potential summer addition if the Irons stay up, they should look for players that are guaranteed to make an impact in the New Year for what could be a huge second-half of the campaign.
