Journalist Pete O’Rourke believes that West Ham United could potentially make a move to sign Lloyd Kelly from AFC Bournemouth in the January transfer window.
The club have been linked with a swoop to bring the defender into the club after both Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna sustained serious injuries and O’Rourke believes Kelly could be a realistic target.
What’s the latest with Kelly?
The 23-year-old has been with Bournemouth since 2019 and is now a key player for the club as they push for promotion to the Premier League.
The Cherries are currently top of the Championship, three points clear of second-placed Blackburn Rovers and four clear of third-placed Fulham.
Kelly has captained Bournemouth at times this season and has made 20 appearances in the second-tier, even scoring in the 3-0 win over Huddersfield Town.
A former England U21 international, Kelly has played eight times in the Premier League for Bournemouth and it appears that he could well be returning to the top-flight soon enough, be it for his current club or for the Hammers.
The Daily Telegraph has reported that Kelly has been identified by Moyes as the central defender required to fix their defensive woes, but they have also claimed that Bournemouth will resist any attempt to sign one of their key players as they continue to push for promotion.
But O’Rourke believes that a deal could well be done for Kelly, who is valued at £9m by Transfermarkt.
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What did O’Rourke say?
Speaking to GiveMeSport, he said: "With the injury to Aaron Cresswell, that could be an interesting one to keep an eye on, Lloyd Kelly, because he can play in a couple of positions"
Is Kelly a good potential signing?
Yes, for sure.
Kelly has developed into an excellent defender at Bournemouth, showing his leadership by earning the captaincy.
The main selling point for him is likely the fact that he could well come into the club and play regularly, but also potentially pivot to being a rotation option as and when Zouma and Ogbonna return to fitness.
He is not the most expensive option out there, either, and would likely slot right into the squad.
Kelly is also left-footed, something the Hammers have lacked from their defenders since their injury crisis began.
Getting him in would be an excellent piece of business in January.