West Ham United can secure David Moyes an “unbelievable” leader in AFC Bournemouth defender Steve Cook as the Irons look to revive their failed summer interest.
What’s the word?
According to Football Insider, West Ham and West Bromwich Albion have set their sights on sealing a January transfer for Cook as the Premier League duo target signing a centre-half who is proven in the top-flight.
Cook is also thought to be a target of other Premier League outfits ahead of the winter market as his Bournemouth contract continues to near its expiration, with it suggested that the 29-year-old is intentionally running down his £45,000-per-week terms which expire next summer.
Former and current Hammers managers Slaven Bilic and Moyes both covet the prospect of signing Cook in January as they feel he can bring experience and pedigree to their respective sides, which are in need of defensive reinforcements.
Moyes believes the London Stadium natives are still short of options at the back despite signing Craig Dawson on loan from Watford with an option to buy, while Bilic is now without Ahmed Hegazi following the 29-year-old’s move to Al-Ittihad that left the Croatian “very, very disappointed”.
West Ham had considered a move to sign Cook this summer before acquiring Dawson, while Burnley were also keen in the Bournemouth rock whom the Cherries valued at £8million.
It remains to be seen how highly the Vitality Stadium natives value Cook in January with his contract – the third-most lucrative at the club – expiring at the end of the season, and how much West Ham or West Brom are willing to offer for the Hasting-born centre-half.
An “unbelievable” leader
Cook has continued to be a pivotal aspect of the Bournemouth backline since the Cherries’ relegation from the Premier League, with the 29-year-old starting and captaining the side in all eight of their Championship fixtures to date.
Bournemouth have enjoyed an unbeaten run over those matches and would sorely miss their leader if Cook were to leave in January, having so far recorded the south coast outfit’s highest number of aerial duels won (41) and clearances (37) plus the second-most interceptions (18) and accurate passes (301) by any player, per SofaScore.
The 6-foot enforcer is also a player Eddie Howe backed to one day earn an England call-up in 2019 after a commanding display against Manchester United while marking his 150th Premier League appearance.
“I would never say that’s beyond him,” Howe said, via quotes by the Bournemouth Echo. “I think there was a spell maybe two years ago where I felt he was playing very well and would be a definite option for England. That never quite happened for him.
“But if he continues to perform like that then I think he will have every chance, I’m sure.”
Howe was frequently full of praise for Cook before leaving Dean Court this summer, noting last year how his captain’s return from injury was a huge boost after the 29-year-old missed months of action and spent six days in the hospital recovering from an abscess discovered on his groin.
“His leadership, mentality and experience was just what the group needed,” Howe told the Bournemouth Echo. “It was a really nasty infection. Speaking to him at the time and afterwards, it was a really low point for him.
“From being a professional footballer one minute to not being able to walk and climb your stairs the next, can be quite destabilising. But I think he’s an unbelievable character when the chips are down.
“He hadn’t done a lot of training for Saturday’s game but is someone you can always rely on to give his best and inspire other people.”
If Cook running his contract down leads Bournemouth to accept offers in January, West Ham could do far worse than signing the Cherries’ inspiring leader for Moyes.
AND in other news, West Ham can sign the new Nemanja Vidic in a £43.3k-p/w “powerhouse” David Moyes courted this summer.