By Lous Nixon
**Upon the recent injury news as well as the lacklustre performances, West Ham should really understand that a new central defender will have to be acquired come the January transfer window.**
Numerous amount of names have been linked with the Hammers, but most recently, Lille defender Alexsandro Ribeiro has caught the eye of Nuno, and a move should be considered.
The Brazilian has recently achieved his first national team appearance under world-renowned manager Carlo Ancelotti. Now a teammate of Paqueta for his country, he could soon join his compatriot in East London.
The 26-year-old was signed for Lille back in the 2022/23 season for just a mere €2,000,000 from Portuguese side Chaves and has since excelled in the Ligue 1 Team of the season for the last two years.
He’s achieved a stunning 38 clean sheets across 116 games with Lille, proving himself to have one of the best defensive records in the French League; however, the Hammers have once been bitten by the French with Jean-Clair Todibo, so perhaps they may enter this deal with caution, considering the past.
The Brazilian would be a great addition for the Hammers. We’re currently in dire need of defenders, which means any signing at this moment in time would likely walk straight into the starting squad and be a positive addition for Nuno.
As well as Nuno’s desire for the defender, Alexsandro and Paqueta have already played with each other back in the Flamengo academy when they were both prospects; hopefully, the previous connection could always help sway a deal our way.