Have West Ham produced a coup with the signing of Alex Song?

West Ham have signed Cameroon midfielder Alex Song on a season-long loan deal from Spanish giants Barcelona

Earlier today it was announced that West Ham United have pulled-off the signing former-Arsenal defensive midfielder Alex Song on a season-long loan deal from Spanish giants Barcelona.

Competition

At 26 years old Alex Song is in the very prime of his career. However, the Barcelona team is a very difficult one to get into and stay in.

The Catalan giants already have top defensive midfielders in the likes of Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano.

Mascherano has spent a lot of time playing at centre-back in recent years, but he is still a very good option for Barcelona boss Luis Enrique to have. It seems that Song was surplus to requirements in Catalonia.

Interested

A number of the Premier League’s top teams had been linked with a loan move for Song. The likes of former-club Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton were all believed to be interested in signing the Cameroon midfielder.

However, it was the Irons that have secured the services of the talented defensive midfielder, which will be a surprise to many.

Good

Alex Song first came to prominence at Arsenal, where he developed into a very good defensive midfielder. He impressed so much with the Gunners that Spanish giants Barcelona decided to sign him.

Song was only just beginning to fulfil his potential at the Emirates, before he was whisked off to the Nou Camp. The Cameroon international seems to have all the attributes to be a top defensive midfielder, but he has not quite lived up to his potential.

However, Song does have a wealth of experience for a player of just 26. He has played with some of the best players in the world and will be a great asset to the Hammers this season.

Ambitious

Song was apparently attracted to the Hammers because of their ambition. He told the clubs official website: “When I spoke to the manager, he gave me very good advice,”

“I had a very good chat with him and that’s why I am coming here. We have to do better than last season. I think the club has very good ambition and I hope we can maybe catch the European positions, because that would be very good for the club.

“West Ham is looking to be a very, very big club in the future. The club has a great project and it is a very big project with very big ambition.

“I think it’s great for the fans that the club wants to be one of the biggest in England. That’s why I chose to come here. I always said that if I was to leave (Barcelona) one day I would return to the Premier League”.

It seems that the Irons are determined to progress. When Ecuadorian forward Enner Valencia joined the club he stated that he believed the club was aiming to make it into the European places in the near future, so there does now seem real ambition within the club.

Shrewd

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has been busy in the transfer market this summer bringing in eight players. The former-Blackburn boss was issued with a stark warning in the summer that the team had to improve the style of play this season or he could be heading for the exit.

Allardyce has been very shrewd in the transfer market this summer. During his Bolton days he managed to sign some really big name players. The signing of Alex Song to strengthen the centre of his midfield could be the shrewdest move of all from Allardyce.

Progress

With the signings that the Hammers have made this summer then they could really push on this season. They lacked a spark last season in front of goal and they struggled to find the net. That led to the Hammers struggling near the bottom of the Premier League table for much of the campaign.

The signs are good so far this season for the Hammers that they can enjoy a better and more entertaining season this time around. The signing of Alex Song seems like a signal of intent from the Hammers and this could be a bright campaign for the team from the East End.

Have West Ham produced a coup with the signing of Alex Song?