West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini will surely look to bolster his right-back options when the transfer window reopens in the summer.
The Hammers signed Ryan Fredericks from Fulham in the summer of 2018 but the Englishman has struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League, although injuries have not helped his cause.
Instead, Pellegrini has been forced to use Pablo Zabaleta, 34, on the right flank for the majority of the season.
However, Zabaleta’s long-term future with the Hammers remains unclear, as he enters the twilight of his career.
Whether the Argentine still has an important role to play at West Ham next season remains to be seen, but whatever happens, Pellegrini should still be looking to add another right-back to his ranks, and a useful option for him could be Strasbourg ace Kenny Lala.
The 27-year-old has been one the most consistent performers in Ligue 1 this season, making 22 appearances for Strasbourg, and chalking up four goals and eight assists in the process.
Lala’s superb pace and dribbling ability make him a nightmare to deal with, and this would cause plenty of problems for Premier League defenders. The Frenchman is not all just about attacking, however. He is a solid defender, having averaged an impressive 2.5 tackles per game for the Ligue 1 outfit this season, as per WhoScored.
Lala’s contract runs until the summer of 2021, and according to Transfer Markt, he is valued at around £10.8 million.
Whilst Strasbourg might demand more for his signature, West Ham should test the waters nevertheless, and make signing the speedy right-back one of their priorities this summer.
