West Ham United have been enjoying a rather up-and-down campaign so far this season, with impressive wins over Manchester United and Arsenal as well as humbling defeats away to Liverpool and Fulham.
That said, there have been more positives than negatives this year, with David Moyes' men currently sitting in sixth place in the Premier League and into the next round of the Europa League.
All this has been achieved without their former captain and club talisman, Declan Rice, who left in the summer for a record £105m, and while the players bought in to replace him have done well, the latest midfielder linked with the Irons could be the perfect partner for James Ward-Prowse and replicate Rice's time at the club – Morten Frendrup.
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ByEmilio GalantiniJan 4, 2024 West Ham United transfer news – Morten Frendrup
According to Italian outlet TuttoJuve, several Premier League teams are currently interested in Genoa's exciting young midfielder Frendrup, including West Ham.
The report also reveals that Crystal Palace are one of the interested parties and that the English teams could offer around €10m – about £9m – this transfer window.
The 22-year-old Danish midfielder has been plying his trade with Genoa since joining in January 2022. While he initially struggled for game time, he has since made himself undroppable, making 37 Serie B appearances last season and 18 in Serie A this year.
He has started the majority of games in either a central midfield or defensive midfield position, which, combined with his performances, has seen him dubbed a "midfield destroyer" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Morten Frendrup could be the perfect midfield partner for James Ward-Prowse
Ward-Prowse has started every one of West Ham's Premier League games this season, either as an attacking midfielder or a central midfielder and, with nine goal involvements to his name, he has been one of the best players in the league.
So, were the Hammers to invest in an up-and-coming midfield talent such as Frendrup, he would likely come in to compliment the former Southampton captain, something that his skillset seems perfectly set up to do.
The 22-year-old's biggest strengths lie in his defensive abilities, mopping up attacks just in front of his defence and allowing his teammates to get forward and attack the opposition, in a sense, precisely what Rice used to do at the London Stadium.
In fact, the "midfield machine", as described by Jacek Kulig, has been making and winning more tackles than the Englishman in league play this season. According to FBref, the young Dane has been making four tackles per 90 and winning 2.06, while the Arsenal man has been making 2.16 per 90 and winning just 1.24.
So he is more defensively active than the former Irons captain, but how do his underlying numbers stack up to the two men Moyes' often starts in the defensive midfield positions, Edson Alvarez and Tomas Soucek?
Well, rather surprisingly, the Tuse-born gem comes out on top in the majority of important metrics including tackles, tackles won, ball recoveries and even progressive passes and carries.
Stat per 90
Frendrup
Alvarez
Soucek
Tackles
4.00
2.68
1.24
Tackles Won
2.06
1.34
0.88
Tackles + Interceptions
5.22
3.96
2.41
Errors Leading to Goals
0.06
0.00
0.00
Progressive Passes
3.61
2.75
2.53
Progressive Carries
1.06
0.54
0.29
Ball Recoveries
6.67
5.84
4.53
All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season
The one area in which the two West Ham men have him beat is in errors leading to goals this season, although that could be down to his younger age and relative inexperience.
Ultimately, buying younger players from outside the Premier League will always be a slight gamble, but this seems like a gamble worth taking, especially as Frendrup could keep his place in the team for a decade or more if things go well.