
STRATFORD, ENGLAND - MAY 14: Havard Nordtveit of West Ham United and Daniel Sturridge of Liverpool compete for the ball during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Liverpool at London Stadium on May 14, 2017 in Stratford, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Havard Nordtveit set to leave West Ham after single season
West Ham midfielder Havard Nordtveit is set to leave after only one season at the club.
When players sign it is always hoped hey will be at the club for a substantial period. It’s the sign that the club have managed to sign a player capable of playing at the level. And that the club means enough to the player to keep him there. West Ham have seemingly failed on this one.
Havard Nordtveit joined the club last summer on a free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach. At the time the club was building for a supposed Europa League campaign and the Norweigan was seen as a good, capable squad player. Why is it then that he is expected to leave?
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Nordtveit is just one of the players who did not live up to expectations last season. The fact that most of the club fanbase have nothing but that season to judge him on hurts his standing among them, and I’m pretty sure most of them would not be too worried if he left the club.
However it is important to note what he was signed to do and what he was forced to do. Despite being signed as a midfielder he spent quite a few matches in central defence and at right back for the side, filling in when Bilic deemed it necessary.
Because of the poor Europa campaign options for squad rotation were limited. This meant that many players simply didn’t get a run in the team. Add to that a few injuries and it does look as though Nordtveit could have offered more.
However given his current mental state of “never rejecting a return to the Bundesliga” I have to get behind selling him. Whatever a player could add it seems that he is not willing to stick around, and that mentality is exactly what West Ham need to remove from the squad.