David Moyes’ January acquisition has not started well by any stretch.
West Ham United supporters may be feeling down after Manchester United’s overwhelming victory at Old Trafford, but the Hammers’ defeat was their first in seven Premier League games.
Nonetheless, David Moyes’ team has yet to win a game in 2024 and was knocked out of the FA Cup by Bristol City in January, with Lucas Paqueta’s injury worsening matters, with the Brazilian not anticipated to return for some weeks.
Moyes sought to recruit a new attacker in January but was unsuccessful, and while his team did complete the loan acquisition of Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City, the 28-year-old may not have been the ideal player to seek.
West Ham missed out on Morten Frendrup
West Ham completed the short-term signing of Phillips last month, adding some toughness and experience to the center of the park.
The east London club is sixth in the Premier League and in the Europa League’s round of 16; last season’s Europa Conference League champions have a lot to play for.
However, West Ham appear to have prioritized the England international above Genoa star Morten Frendrup, who is thought to be among a number of English clubs interested in a move for the Dane, with a €10 million (approximately £9 million) price tag floated.
Earlier in January, it was reported that City had placed a £6 million loan fee on Phillips’ signing, and given that West Ham is also covering the full of his £140,000-per-week salary, it’s surely one of the most costly loan transactions in recent memory.
How Frendrup compares to Phillips
While Phillips has more experience, product, and silverware than Frendrup, he has had a difficult start in London, accounting for two goals in his two games for the Hammers.
In comparison, Frendrup, 22, has been exceptional in Serie A this season, averaging four tackles and six ball recoveries per game, according to Sofascore, while winning 66% of his contested duels and 65% of his dribbles.
According to FBref, Frendrup is in the top 10% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for assists over the last year, the top 1% for tackles, and the top 22% for blocks and interceptions per 90, earning him the nickname “midfielder destroyer” from talent scout Jacek Kulig for his efforts. Unlike Phillips, it is clear that this master of his art have all of the necessary tools to continue his career as a top performer.
Fulham’s tough-tackling machine Joao Palhinha is averaging 4.7 tackles per Premier League game this season, so Frendrup has the potential to become a star of comparable scale.
With age on his side and a cheap price tag, it may have been a mistake for West Ham not to pursue a deal before he grows to prominence and gets more profitable interest down the line.
Phillips has the potential to establish himself as a key element of Moyes’ squad, but his rustiness in the last two games has left the Irons fans skeptical.
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