Reports today revealed that West Ham have submitted a €12m offer for Spezia talent Jakub Kiwior, so what should the Hammers expect from the Pole?
The 22-year-old, who is equally comfortable playing as either a centre back or defensive midfielder, joined the Spezia last year from Slovakian side MSK Zilina in a deal worth around €2.2m.
Kiwior initially struggled to break into the first team, making only one appearance in the first 16 league matches, but he then found his footing playing as the anchoring defensive midfielder in front of a three or four man defence.
Apart from a one-match suspension, Kiwior played almost every available minute for Spezia as a defensive midfielder from December onwards, becoming a core part of the squad. Then-coach Thiago Motta seemed to have full trust in the Pole, and the underlying numbers clearly show why.
The 22-year-old shone as a defensive midfielder, standing out in his role for pressures, blocks and clearances; last season in Serie A, Kiwior won 1.15 tackles per 90 minutes, made 2.39 blocks per 90 and pulled off 2.57 clearances per 90.
For Poland, Kiwior still lines up as a centre back, a sign of his impressive tactical flexibility. Should the 22-year-old join West Ham this summer, he’d add a strong defensive boost to David Moyes’ squad, and it seems like he’s only going to get better and better.