West Ham United are ready to rival Brighton and Hove Albion in the pursuit of Saint-Etienne midfielder Ole Selnaes, it has been claimed by Peuple Vert.
However, it is believed that the Premier League clubs will have to match the Norwegian’s £18 million price-tag.
But what would Selnaes bring to the table if West Ham United sign him?
Ole Selnaes: player profile
A product of the Rosenborg youth academy, Selnaes moved to Ligue 1 back in 2016 and has since become a consistent performer in the French top flight.
This season, in particular, Selnaes has played a key role in St. Etienne’s successful campaign that has seen them challenge for the Champions League slots.
Although, primarily a defensive midfielder, Selnaes has registered five assists in 17 games this season, which is indicative of his creative influence.
The 24-year-old is an excellent passer of the ball, which combined with his composure, makes him a calm operator at the middle of the pitch. Selnaes has attained an impressive pass accuracy of 84% this season with an average of almost 45 passes per game.
However, Selnaes’ overall gameplay is not only limited to passing as the Norwegian international is also known for his defensive work-rate, having attempted 3 tackles per game with a success rate of 68%.
The Trondheim-born midfielder has mustered one interception and 1.3 clearances per game – which are decent numbers for a holding midfielder, especially for someone who is as technically astute as Selnaes.
Why West Ham need Selnaes
West Ham’s struggles with injuries to their key midfielders has been well documented this season, with players like Carlos Sanchez, Pedro Obiang, Jack Wilshere missing a chunk of the campaign due to spells on the sidelines.
As a result, manager Manuel Pellegrini has had very limited resources, especially in the holding midfield position where Declan Rice seems to be the only reliable option at the moment. Therefore, the addition of Selnaes makes sense.
The Norwegian’s proficiency of distributing possession combined with his defensive work-rate would offer Pellegrini something different to what Rice is offering at the moment.
Whether or not would be able to make the transition from the French top flight to the fast-paced nature of the Premier League remains a question.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
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