Craig Dawson is a free agent.placeholder image
Craig Dawson is a free agent. | Getty Images
Nuno Espirito Santo is expected to add defensive reinforcements at West Ham over the coming months.
West Ham have conceded the most goals in the Premier League so far this season, a 2-1 defeat to Leeds United taking the tally up to 20 after just nine fixtures.
The Hammers are in crisis and facing a relegation battle with Nuno Espirito Santo struggling to turn the side since taking over from Graham Potter. The London outfit look toothless up front but aren’t helped by their porous defence.
Nuno is persevering with Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo but signing a new centre-back is a clear priority come the January transfer window. The former Nottingham Forest boss is expected to retain the backing of the board until the next market.
Ex West Ham defender mentioned as London outfit struggles
One former West Ham player who has seen his name mentioned a few times over the past week is Craig Dawson. The 35-year-old made 87 appearances for the club between 2020 and 2023 and is somewhat of a Premier League veteran.
Dawson was sold to Wolves by West Ham for £3.3 million in January 2023 and his departure has left a hole at the back since. The club forked out £40 million to sign Kilman from Wolves in the summer of 2024 and then £36 million on Jean-Clair Todibo this year. Those big fees have not come with big performances.
“What are you actually building? You can have one or two but not four. I look around that team and go, where’s the kick on? You go back a few years, they got rid of Craig Dawson - who did well for them - and brought in Max Kilman for a lot of money. Is that a massive improvement? Does he take you over the line?”
Gary O’Neil: ‘Craig Dawson can stop Erling Haaland’
He said: “You defend low and you pick Craig Dawson. We beat them at Wolves and Daws had him in his pocket for 90 minutes. Daws was a box defending specialist so we decided to defend in our box, whenever we were higher up the pitch we always kept Daws with some cover around him. When we got in and around our goal, Daws got himself up against Haaland.
“It doesn’t work all the time, they beat us 4 or 5-0 in the reverse fixture. He’s tough to stop. If you defend high, he can run in behind, if you get too deep and hang crosses up he can head them in. And if you concentrate on stopping in, Foden or Savinho or Doku appears off the side.”
Wolves beat Manchester City 2-1 in that fixture back in September 2023. Molineux News hailed Dawson as a ‘colossus’ for his efforts and quoted BBC Sport’s Garth Crooks, who labelled the player as ‘magnificent’. Crooks added: “Dawson went on to clear another certain goal off the line just as the champions looked as though they were back in control of the match. Wolves defended brilliantly on the day and Dawson in particular. They reduced arguably the best striker in the world to one genuine strike on goal.”
Could West Ham sign Craig Dawson as a free agent?
The re-emergence of Dawson’s name has led to some speculation by supporters online that West Ham could do worse than looking to bring the veteran back to the London Stadium. “I think we’d be stupid not to do it,” one supporter wrote. He added: “I’m down for this if he’s down to come and give 110%.”
The centre-back is currently a free agent having left Wolves following the expiry of his contract this summer. Dawson had entered talks to end his contract early in February, having been ousted from the squad by Vitor Pereira, but that did not end up happening.
Alan Nixon reported that Dawson rejected an offer from Birmingham City to join the Midlands club on a one-year deal during the recent window, with Blackburn Rovers and Wrexham also said to be interested in signing the player. That could suggest that the defender still believes he has the ability to be playing in the Premier League.
Dawson clearly has a soft spot for West Ham. On leaving the club in 2023, he said: “What a two-and-a-half years it’s been. As a club we have achieved so much more than we could have imagined and I will forever cherish those moments.
“I have nothing but love and respect for the club, players and staff. Some of the best bunch of people I could have wished to have worked with, but personally it was time for me to go home to my family.
“To the fans, the support has been unbelievable; a noise that always filled the stadium. Thank you for making me feel so welcome! I hope I have done you proud. I will be cheering the Hammers on from the sidelines and wish the club the best of luck for the future.”
In other news, West Ham battling Aston Villa to sign 'fantastic' ex Graham Potter Chelsea favourite.
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