West Ham make Filip Kostic bid, scouting how he’d fit Moyes’ team

West Ham have submitted a bid for Eintracht Frankfurt star Filip Kostic.

The Hammers have reportedly offered around £13million for the 29-year-old left wing-back with talks progressing quickly.

Kostic impressed throughout his side’s run to Europa League glory as they knocked out the Hammers in the semi-final. He is an intriguing transfer target, we have scouted him to explain why.

West Ham have made a bid for Filip Kostic. Scouting how he would fit in David Moyes’ side.

The best place to start is acknowledging the Serbian’s quality. Frankfurt are a good team, as West Ham fans found out last season, and he is one of their most important players. He played 43 times for the club last campaign scoring seven goals and registering a further 15 assists. The season before he was equally impressive netting on four occasions and racking up an incredible 17 assists. Kostic has shown his class consistently over the years.

His biggest strength is his crossing. He delivers the ball fantastically; able to put the ball into an area or pick out a man. If West Ham do sign 6ft 5in striker Gianluca Scamacca, he could benefit from Kostic’s world-class delivery (the duo share the same agent). There is more to his game than just crossing though. He is an extremely hard worker, a good set-piece taker, plus he’s a counter-attacking threat with his pace and direct running with the ball is a huge asset.

The slight hesitance to sign him comes from his position. The former Stuttgart and Hamburg man is predominately a wing-back. Moyes has used a back five at times but it’s not the team’s main formation.

Kostic could fill-in at left-back in Moyes’ usual back four but in West Ham’s low block style of defending his weaknesses in that side of his game could get exposed.

It is more likely that he is seen as a left-winger. Kostic is an extremely attacking wing-back and has played higher up on the left flank multiple times during his career. West Ham could really do with a winger this sumer, as a result of Andriy Yarmolenko leaving and Nikola Vlasic being better off in the No.10 role.

Similarly to Pablo Fornals, the 48-timed capped international can be the hard-working left sided winger capable of playing the hybrid role the Spaniard has at times, switching between a back four in possession and back five without the ball. Kostic would be perfect for that position.

West Ham were targeting a transfer for David Raum but it seems he will make the move to RB Leipzig. He would’ve been the natural and younger Aaron Cresswelll replacement fans have been wanting. Kostic isn’t going to be the Hammers’ future left-back, he will be used slightly differently by Moyes.

Overall, due to his undoubted talent he would be a smart signing, perhaps unexpected to what many thought West Ham needed but it will be interesting to see how he does fit in and how he will be deployed.