West Ham old boy could hold key to switch for outstanding 19-year-old centre-back

Whether West Ham don’t renew David Moyes’ contract or not, the East Londoners clearly need to beef up their current defensive set-up.

As was seen with Kurt Zouma losing his marker for the only goal against Freiburg in their Europa League clash on Thursday, there needs to be competition for places.

One player that’s making a name for himself in the Championship is Middlesbrough’s highly-rated 19-year-old, Rav van den Berg.

Boro are managed by West Ham old boy, Michael Carrick, and given that the North East giants are 10 points outside of the play-off places at present, if they’re unable to at least give themselves a shot at promotion to the Premier League, Boro could find it difficult to keep hold of their best players.

West Ham looking at Rav van den Berg

““Everton, West Ham, Brighton and Crystal Palace are amongst the Premier League clubs interested in making a move for Middlesbrough defender Rav van den Berg,” ex-professional, Carlton Palmer, told Football League World.

“[…] It has been disappointing for Middlesbrough this season because they wanted to push for the Premier League, but they were not able to bring in the players in the summer or in January to help them push on. So, it has been a disappointing season for Middlesbrough.

“But he has been one of the bright sparks in the team. He has caught the eye of a lot of Premier League teams. Middlesbrough will not want to lose him at the end of the season given the situation. If they do not get to the Premier League, will they be able to keep him?

Ultimately, if van den Berg is to move on, the club are likely to accept the offer from the highest bidder.

However, Carrick’s ties to the East London outfit could give them the edge in any negotiations if he accepts that the player will leave.

From West Ham’s own point of view, their squad has been the strongest it has for some while, but the depth is missing.

If they truly want to go to the next level under Moyes or whomever, then hoovering up young talent such as van den Berg is a must.