West Ham dipped into the transfer market for the second time this summer with the signing of defensive midfielder Cheikhou Kouyaté from Belgian champions Anderlecht.
The 24-year-old arrives for an undisclosed fee, thought to be in the region of £7m, and follows just two weeks after Mauro Zaraté touched down in London, as the Hammers set about building a squad capable of finishing in the top half of the Premier League.
Kouyaté had plenty to say about the realisation of his dreams after making the switch to East London, with Sam Allardyce’s commitment to sealing the deal a crucial factor:
“That I’m here now is thanks to the manager, because he went out of his way, leaving his holiday for me, so he has done everything he could for me to join the club. He, my advisers and agents helped me make the right decision and said West Ham was the ideal club for me, because as a kid I dreamed of playing in the Premier League and now it’s here that my dream has been realised.”
With West Ham vice chairman David Sullivan looking to secure “at least another four new signings” before the 2014/15 season kicks off, our Fantasy radars will be honed on pre-season developments at the Boleyn Ground.
THE HISTORY
Born in Dakar, Senegal, Kouyaté’s junior career began with local club ASC Yego at the tender age of six. After spending a decade in the academy, FC Brussels came calling and within two years, Kouyaté had broken into the first team, making 10 appearances in his second campaign before a contract dispute saw him leave for rivals Anderlecht on a free transfer.
Aged 19, Anderlecht had seen enough potential in the Senegal Under-20 international – who’d scored twice in his three U20 appearances – to offer a four-year deal. The move proved to be a huge success for both player and club – Kouyaté racked up 145 appearances over the following five years and went on to become a first-team regular in a side that emerged triumphant in the last four seasons of Belgium’s top flight, having finished runners-up in his debut campaign.
Domestic success brought with it a taste of Europe’s premier competition for Kouyaté. The Senegalese now boasts 12 Champions League appearances (and five qualifiers) and has also played 23 Europa League fixtures, which have harvested no more than a single assist. In fact, even on the domestic scene, Kouyaté has yet to flourish in an attacking sense. Three goals in almost 150 appearances does little to flaunt his Fantasy potential, though it is worth noting that the Hammers’ new man played a significant proportion of his games at Anderlecht, particularly at the end of last season, as a central defender – a role he reprised on occasion at international level, too.
THE PROSPECTS
Kouyaté certainly brings a significant presence to the field, with an imposing frame, tenacious attitude and all-round athleticism that has drawn him comparisons with another 6’4”, Dakar-born defensive midfielder; former Arsenal and Manchester City legend Patrick Vieira.
Kouyaté, like Zaraté, grants Allardyce a level of flexibility in his squad. The 24-year-old has the engine and power to play box-to-box but could also sit in front of the back-four in a more defensive-minded role – once thing’s for sure, though, the Senegal international is certain he won’t be employed at the back by Big Sam:
“I’m big, quick and athletic, so a box-to-box midfielder… [when playing] as a defender, it was only to fill in. Now I’ve come to West Ham as a defensive midfielder, so I don’t want to be thought of as a defender.”
Given the reported outlay, it’s a fair assumption that Kouyaté is a key player in Allardyce’s re-building process. If, as many expect, Zaraté is handed the role behind Andy Carroll in a 4-2-3-1 formation, the former Anderlecht man can expect a spot alongside Mark Noble in the heart of the Hammers’ engine room, though a 4-3-3 may allow him a little more leeway to bomb forward and lend his considerable size to West Ham’s attacks.
In terms of Fantasy prospects, Kouyaté’s lack of serious goal threat somewhat diminishes his appeal and should mainly see him overlooked, with Zaraté’s arrival far more enticing. Given the number of games he has covered at centre half for Anderlecht in his final season, there’s a somewhat slim possibility that Kouyaté may be classified as a defender in some Fantasy games – so far, though, the Sky Sports Fantasy game have him listed as a midfielder, perhaps a sign of what to expect. Given his lowly valuation of £4.9m in the Sky game, though, Kouyaté’s industrious approach could yet prove decent value for tackling bonus, whilst a security of starts looks certain and may appeal for those eyeing up a budget option in the centre of the park for a schedule that pits the Hammers against Spurs, Palace, Southampton and Hull in the first four Gameweeks of 2014/15.
