West Ham battling Leeds for January transfer window signing of 26-year-old ex Chelsea ace

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West Ham United are said to be battling Leeds United for the January transfer window signing of Torino right-back Ola Aina.

That’s according to a report from PUNCH Sports Extra who claim that the Hammers face competition from Leeds for the 26-year-old defender.

Right-back is definitely an area where David Moyes needs to strengthen at the London Stadium this winter.

Vladimir Coufal and Ben Johnson just aren’t up to it in my opinion, and an upgrade on those two will be a necessity if West Ham are to enjoy a successful 2022/23 campaign on all fronts.

The Hammers tried to address this particular issue on transfer deadline day in the summer, with a move for Torino’s Ola Aina.

That move was unsuccessful, and he remained in Turin. However, Moyes appears to be back in for the London-born right-back…

West Ham battling Leeds for Ola Aina January signing

PUNCH Sports Extra claim that both the Hammers and the White are eyeing up moves to sign the Torino right-back in the January transfer window.

He allegedly could be available for around £8.5 million (The Evening Standard).

I have to say, I strongly feel as though Moyes should be targeting better players than Ola Aina.

The ex-Chelsea man isn’t a bad right-back – he’s fairly quick along the ground and is strong in the tackle.

He is a long way from what is needed in the modern game, however. Full-backs today must contribute equally at both ends of the pitch.

And Aina certainly doesn’t do that.

Energetic, powerful and pacy young wing-backs are the cornerstone of all successful teams now. And they have to be technically gifted footballers as well.

I just feel like Moyes’s current full-back options and the players he is being linked with are great evidence of how the game has passed him by as a manger. He has failed to evolve and adapt, and West Ham signing someone like Ola Aina in January would be further evidence of this.

Perhaps it would be better if Leeds won the race for the Nigeria international!

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