Max Aarons of Norwich City, a player on West Ham’s radar, is currently preventing Ben Johnson of West Ham United from playing for the England under-21 team, writes the HammerNews.
During England’s recent 4-0 victory over France, Aarons, a Norwich City star, started the match, while Johnson, a 23-year-old West Ham full-back, remained on the bench. Johnson has had a disappointing season and his performance has deteriorated significantly over the last year.
He seems to have lost the spark that he had when he first emerged as a promising player under David Moyes at the London Stadium. Currently, one of Moyes’ rumored targets, Aarons, is the reason why Johnson is not playing for the England under-21 team.
According to reports, Norwich City has set a value of £30 million on Aarons, but his contract with the club expires in the summer of 2024. As a result, they may need to reconsider their asking price for the 23-year-old defender. Regardless, in my opinion, West Ham should pursue Aarons aggressively.
He has impressive attributes such as speed, strength, stamina, and energy, as well as excellent technical ability. Aarons is an excellent attacking player while also being a very reliable defender. In the Championship this season, he has averaged 1.9 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, and 1.5 clearances per match, and can play both full-back positions.