West Ham are entering pole position to sign an "exceptional" player this month, with manager David Moyes also publicly praising him in the past.
Moyes keen to make new January signings
The Hammers are eager to make new additions in January, following injury problems for some of their key players.
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Lucas Paqueta, a fixture in Moyes' midfield at West Ham, looks set to be out for around two months with a calf injury, while striker Michail Antonio recently suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee problem.
Luckily for Moyes, the club are hopeful that star winger Jarrod Bowen could be back to face Sheffield United this weekend, as well as midfielder Edson Alvarez, but the Irons are still short in key areas.
Nayef Aguerd
AFCON
Mohammed Kudus
AFCON
Jarrod Bowen
Injured
Michail Antonio
Injured
Lucas Paqueta
Injured
Edson Alvarez
Injured
Pablo Fornals
Injured
This has lead to reports that Moyes is particularly keen to sign a new forward for West Ham this month, with rumours also surrounding a potential move for Man City outcast Kalvin Phillips.
The latter has been repeatedly linked with a move away from Eastlands and this next week could prove crucial in determining his future.
West Ham entering pole position for Phillips
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, speaking on The Done Deal Show this week (via TBR), West Ham are actually entering pole position to sign Phillips despite interest from up and down the Premier League.
The likes of Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle and Serie A giants Juventus have all been billed as contenders for the 28-year-old (Sky Sports), but it's Moyes' side who are apparently "emerging" as the frontrunner.
“Kalvin Phillips is another one. I’d be staggered if he doesn’t go between now and the end of the window. I’m told that even though Newcastle have been linked they haven’t opened talks, Roy Hodgson says that Crystal Palace are genuinely interested, but I would keep an eye on West Ham because I’m told at the moment that it may be West Ham United who are emerging as the frontrunner there,” Jacobs said.
It will be interesting to see if West Ham can financially do a deal for the £135,000-per-week ace, but we believe Phillips would do wonders to shore up Moyes' midfield options.
Called "exceptional" by Pep Guardiola, the former Leeds star was a pivotal player at Elland Road before not quite cutting it at City. Moyes once admitted he's a "big admirer" of Phillips, calling him "really influential" in Yorkshire.
"I'm a big admirer of Kalvin Phillips and have been for a long time," said Moyes in 2021.
"Every time I went to watch Leeds, and when I was out of work and they won the Championship, I was always thinking he looked a really influential player and a real prospect.
"I think he has stepped up really quickly, I think he got into the England squad when maybe other people were suggested in front of him but I think he's done well."