Four things for West Ham fans to know about Maxime Gonalons

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The transfer window is almost ready to close, but West Ham United appear determined to add at least one more name to their squad before that happens.

Manuel Pellegrini is after a holding midfielder following the sale of Cheikhou Kouyate to Crystal Palace last week, and a number of names have been linked with a move to the London Stadium.

The current speculation is that the Hammers have lodged a bid of £8.9 million for Roma midfielder Maxime Gonalons (as reported by Calciomercato).

At 29, Gonalons has been on the scene for a while, but he is still a relative stranger to fans of English football having never played in the Premier League before. So here are a few things to know about him in case he successfully completes a late move to the Irons…

Vastly experienced

Gonalons is no spring chicken, but that only means he has a wealth of playing experience. In his eight seasons with Lyon, he was a regular starter for six of those, making 333 appearances in total for the club. Last year he transferred to Roma, but was only a bit-part player, making 23 appearances. He would bring leadership (he captained the French side on a number of occasions) and nous to the West Ham side.

Disciplined

The 6ft 2in Frenchman is not the most mobile footballer in the world, and doesn’t really venture forward in games. This makes him ideal for team balance though, as he allows the more attacking midfield players the freedom to bomb forward, as he screens the defence.

France national team

He may have missed out on Les Bleus’ recent successes at major tournaments, but Gonalons has flirted with the French national team, showing he has the quality. He has eight caps to his name, and has experience of playing with some world class players.

Interest from other clubs

Gonalons’ reduced role for Roma has led to interest from other clubs in the Premier League such as Everton and Crystal Palace, so the Hammers will have to work hard to get this deal over the line before Thursday’s deadline. He would likely be in line for a starting berth if he were to join, which is surely at the forefront of his mind.