Dele Alli lit up the Premier League and now West Ham want the star dubbed the closest thing since as a big issue becomes patently clear.
You only have to take one look at West Ham on a weekly basis to see where the big problems lay.
The team looks far too open and easy to play through. And the Hammers lack a proper bona fide forward up top.
West Ham seem to have thrown together their midfield and striker department with little thought or a coherent plan.
There is a hodge podge of players with little evidence to suggest they can operate well together.
Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta, Carlos Soler, Guido Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez do share one thing in common, though.
They all lack dynamism and pace.
And it shows in West Ham’s performances.
The Hammers midfield does not function to a high level. Certainly not to compete with other clubs pushing for Europe.
That may come with time but there’s little to suggest that’s going to be the case.
West Ham want ‘new Dele Alli’ in £20m deal
Last weekend ‘immobile’ Alvarez was singled out as West Ham’s biggest problem by Match of the Day pundits.
They highlighted that he simply isn’t up to the pace of other Premier League midfielders and was better as an auxiliary centre-back.
West Ham were recently linked with Ruben Loftus-Cheek in a swap deal with Milan involving Alvarez.
That got the juices flowing among fans who crave a more powerful box-to-box presence in the side.
Hammers fans also bemoan the fact the club never pushed through a deal that was in the offing to sign Youssouf Fofana – who ended up joining Milan in the summer.
Now the Hammers have been linked with another hybrid midfielder in the Loftus-Cheek mould.
And it can’t be a coincidence.
Jobe Bellingham is exactly what’s needed at West Ham
West Ham want the ‘new Dele Alli’ in a £20m deal and he’s exactly what’s needed.
According to several reports, the Hammers are genuinely interested in signing Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland.
The brother of England and Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham, has been coming of age for Sunderland in the Championship this season.
The 19-year-old has two goals and an assist in 12 games so far. But his brilliant average match rating of 7.3/10 speaks to how his all-round game has helped Sunderland assert a commanding early lead at the top of the second tier.
It’s being claimed West Ham want Bellingham mark two and are preparing a £20m move.
Amid the speculation, talkSPORT’s Adrian Clarke delivered a brilliant assessment of Bellingham, likening him to Dele Alli when he was about to get picked up by Spurs.
And it explains just why the Hammers are reportedly so keen.
“We are definitely seeing him mature this season under Regis LeBris,” Clarke said.
“Before this season, no one really knew what to do with Jobe Bellingham, was he a striker? Is he a deep-lying midfielder? A box-to-box guy? What is he?
“He’s a player of great talent. There’s no doubt about that.
“The goal he scored at the weekend is a goal he can score over and over again. He made that run from midfielder and powered a beautiful header in.
“I think he can do that, Dele Alli-style, ghosting in from that box-to-box role. He’s starting to fulfil his obvious potential.”
Some of West Ham’s best have come from Championship
West Ham’s big problem will be whether Sunderland are willing to sell him while going for promotion or – should the Hammers wait until the summer – if the Black Cats get themselves back to the big time.
This is much more like it from Tim Steidten and co, though.
Some of West Ham’s best ever signings have been from the Championship – especially in terms of value for money.
From Trevor Sinclair to Dean Ashton, Aaron Cresswell, Michail Antonio, Craig Dawson and Jarrod Bowen to name but a few.
And Crysencio Summerville looks like he could be the latest.
Top Championship players often arrive battle-hardened, super fit from the volume and difficulty of games – there’s lots of running in the second division – and, perhaps most importantly, grateful for the opportunity and hungry to succeed.
This is an exciting transfer link and Bellingham could be just what West Ham need to breathe some youth, energy and goals into that slow and old midfield.
And if he really does turn out to be anything like his brother, it’s a wise investment too.
Borussia Dortmund made a £70m profit on Jude after all.
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