Report: West Ham to Hold Talks With Besiktas as Pellegrini Eyes Gary Medel
West Ham is considering making a move for Beşiktaş midfielder Gary Medel following the recent injuries to summer signings Jack Wilshere and Carlos Sánchez.
Manuel Pellegrini's side will hold talks with the Turkish giants ahead of the January transfer window, with representatives from both clubs currently set to meet on Thursday.
West Ham has had a number of problems in midfield this season and Milliyet claim it now wants to bring in Medel as a no-nonsense defensive midfielder, who can also provide cover at center back should any first-team players leave in the new year.
While the Hammers are still without Manuel Lanzini, they've been struggling to find a working partnership deeper in their midfield. Both Wilshere and Sánchez - summer arrivals from Arsenal and ACF Fiorentina respectively - haven't made an impact, while Pedro Obiang and Mark Noble have underperformed.
Medel has previous experience in the Premier League following a one-year stint with Cardiff City during the 2013/14 season, where the Chile international made a total of 35 appearances.
The 31-year-old also has experience with Sevilla, Inter and Boca Juniors, although his strongest performances appear to have come during his brief stint with Beşiktaş.
Medel has 64 appearances for the Black Eagles and he's gained valuable experience in both the Champions League and Europa League, as well as in South America's Copa Sudamericana and Copa Libertadores.
It is expected that Medel would slot straight into Manuel Pellegrini's first team alongside a more technical player, like Noble or Obiang, which will offer the Hammers a much-improved base to build their attacks off of.
