There has been much debate over the rationale behind West Ham signing Adama Traore on a short-term deal but Hammers News can reveal Nuno Espirito Santo sees it as a defensive masterstroke.
West Ham have finally completed the signing of Adama Traore from Fulham on a six-month deal – although the club has not officially announced the length of the contract.
Hammers News was the first to exclusively reveal West Ham wanted to sign Traore for Nuno Espirito Santo just days after he arrived at the club.
West Ham were expected to agree a straightforward deal for Traore with Fulham at the start of the window.
But Fulham angered West Ham by moving the goalposts over Traore and suddenly demanding £7m – more than three times the original agreement.
That was despite the muscle-bound 30-year-old winger being out of contract in the summer.
Traore move divides opinion at West Ham
In the end the Hammers managed to agree a nominal fee, believed to be around £2m for the jet-heeled attacker after Fulham welcomed their trio of Nigerian stars back from AFCON.
A lack of end product has always been the single biggest criticism of Traore’s game throughout an up and down career that has taken him from Barcelona to Wolves and Fulham via Middlesbrough and Aston Villa.
Adama Traore thinks West Ham will STAY up 👀 How much more confident are you now that we’ve signed him?
Hit the comments on how you actually feel, I know he divides opinion 😂
Traore played some of his best football under Nuno Espirito Santo at Wolves.
But many have questioned why West Ham have signed another attacker when it is felt defensive recruits should be the priority.
Especially as the Irons have the second worst defence in the Premier League and are yet to keep a clean sheet under Nuno as they battle to try and stay up.
It is noted that Traore may struggle just as much for game time at West Ham as he has at Fulham given two of the team’s best players play out wide in captain Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville.
There have also been question marks over why the Spaniard has only been brought in on a six-month contract, with many feeling it shows the club have little faith in their bid for survival.
Well Hammers News can reveal Nuno actually sees Traore as something of a defensive masterstroke and West Ham are planning a longer stay.
Hammers News has spoken to a top source inside the club about the thinking behind the deal to sign Traore.
Nuno sees Traore as defensive masterstroke for West Ham
The senior source says that while the club hope Traore can make a big impact in attack, most likely off the bench, he is viewed as an essential cog to help West Ham’s leaky defence.
And not because Nuno plans to play him at full-back.
What should Nuno do to end West Ham’s AWFUL record vs Chelsea? ⚒️ 🔵
Are there any changes you want to see?
Traore will give Nuno more options if he wants to play wingbacks of course, a position he played under him at Wolves.
But it is Traore’s almost unrivalled ability to travel long distances up the pitch with the ball at rapid speed which Nuno sees as vital to West Ham’s hopes of survival – particularly late in games, especially if the Hammers are trying to hold on to a result.
The source says Nuno believes Traore’s ability to get West Ham up the pitch quickly will massively relieve pressure on an improving defence, even if he doesn’t necessarily set the world alight with his end product.
Not only will he take the pressure off the backline, he has the strength to keep hold of the ball at the other end and allow West Ham’s star players to move higher up the pitch.
There is a belief from Nuno, for example, that the second half performances against Spurs and Sunderland – which saw the opposition dominate long spells as they pushed for a way back into the game – would not be as threatening with Traore to come on and relieve that pressure.
West Ham have breathed new life into their bid for survival with those wins over Spurs and Sunderland.
West Ham plan longer stay for Traore
But it is not the club who are showing a lack of ambition or belief in their survival hopes by only signing Traore up to a six-month deal.
Hammers News can reveal the reason the move dragged on over the last week was because Traore himself was insisting he only wanted to join on a six-month deal, with survival triggering a two-year contract so he could leave if the Hammers drop but had some security if they stay up.
West Ham only wanted a one-year rolling deal triggered on survival.
So a compromise was met and Traore signed with all parties determined to ensure he ends up being in east London for at least 18 months.
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