Multiple Premier League teams are sniffing around Lille midfielder Yves Bissouma, and West Ham should join the hunt to grab themselves the perfect partner for Jack Wilshere.

What's the story?

According to Sky Sports, Brighton are in talks to sign Bissouma, and reports in France suggest a deal is close at around £17.7m.

The tough tackling 21 year-old has also been linked with Tottenham, Everton and Fulham, although the Cottagers record deal for Jean Seri probably rules them out.

While Bissouma isn’t a name many fans will be familiar with, he had a breakout season in Ligue 1 last year, and the Hammers would be brilliant in midfield for years to come if they added him to the capture of Wilshere.

£17.7m is an absolute steal for a 21 year-old in the form of his life, and with Felipe Anderson expected to be the latest in a string of West Ham signings, grabbing Bissouma would be the cherry on the cake of their fantastic summer.

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How good is he?

Bissouma is everything you want in a defensive midfielder, but he also offers an extra attacking element that most players of his ilk simply don’t possess. First and foremost though, the young Mali international just loves getting stuck in, averaging 2.6 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 1.6 clearances per 90 minutes last season.

For such a young player, the 21 year-old has excellent game intelligence, able to read attacks before they even happen, break them up, and then launch counter attacks of his own. This is what separates him from your average tough tackling defensive midfielder – his ball playing ability.

Aforementioned, Bissouma is an absolute beast at pressing opponents and breaking up play, but he is also skilled enough on the ball to resist the press when it’s used against him. His tight control and wiry strength allows him to weave himself out of difficult areas in midfield, similar to Tottenham’s Mousa Dembele.

His passing takes him one step further than Dembele, as the Belgian is often criticised for his lack of forward passing. Bissouma has no such problem even at 21, completing 85 per cent of his passes last season in a struggling Lille side. He also averaged 0.5 key passes per game, which is good for a player whose main purpose is breaking up play.

All in all, West Ham would be getting a sturdy, smart and tenacious young midfielder, with all the tools to allow Wilshere to go and help the attacking players create chances. At £17.7m it’s an absolute no brainer.

So, West Ham fans, would you take a punt on Bissouma? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…