It has been a hugely exciting transfer window for West Ham United but it looks set to end on a slightly underwhelming note with the arrival of Carlos Sanchez.
The 32-year-old holding midfielder did not impress in the Premier League with Aston Villa and endured a poor World Cup this summer.
He was sent off in Colombia’s opening game of the tournament against Japan and was abject in England’s last 16 victory over Jose Pekerman’s side, lucky to avoid a red card and responsible for giving away the penalty that allowed Harry Kane to open the scoring.
While the upshot of Sanchez’s impending arrival may be that hot prospect Declan Rice gets a chance to impress as the first-choice holding midfielder, there is little doubt that there are better options out there.
One example is Tiemoue Bakayoko, who is reportedly the subject of a loan bid from Italian giants AC Milan, with the option to buy at a later date.
Bakayoko joined for £40m from Monaco last summer after a hugely impressive 2016/17 season, but became something of a scapegoat – which may put some Hammers fans off the idea.
However, he is a much younger option than Sanchez and has plenty of opportunity to improve. He has performed ably in the Champions League and just needs to rediscover his form and confidence.
Pellegrini needs a more athletic holding midfielder than Sanchez and Bakayoko would be a far superior option. With both of them available on loan, the choice should have been a no-brainer.
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