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Two Potential Premier League Swaps for West Ham’s Michail Antonio

By Adam Smith

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Michail Antonio of West Ham United scores his team's first goal during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between West Ham United and Macclesfield Town at The London Stadium on September 26, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Michail Antonio of West Ham United scores his team's first goal during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between West Ham United and Macclesfield Town at The London Stadium on September 26, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /
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West Ham’s speedy attacker has become an expendable resource as he has failed to transition into Manuel Pellegrini’s team. West Ham would be wise to move on from their physical forward in January, and a few Premier League clubs have some enticing forwards to potentially swap.

Manuel Pellegrini came into West Ham with a promise to the players he inherited, a clean slate. A few players came to the forefront for candidates to take this opportunity: Chiekhou Kouyate, Chicharito, and Michail Antonio. Kouyate has been moved to Crystal Palace, Chicharito has had a minimal impact on the team, and Antonio can’t take his chances.

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Antonio has had ample opportunity to make an impact. He’s featured in seven of eight Premier League matches and has played in both Carabao Cup matches. In these nine games, he’s only managed to score one goal, a header in West Ham’s 8-0 win over Macclesfield Town.

Despite his poor performances since leaving the Boleyn Ground, Michail Antonio is still an attractive player. He’s fast, he’s strong, and he’s English. It makes him the perfect ‘project’ player, a player you believe you can get the best out of, or a player that could benefit from a change in scenery.

Let’s get into the potential swaps.

Manolo Gabbiadini – Southampton

Gabbiadini set the world on fire when he joined Southampton in January of 2017 from Napoli. The winter recruit started at a furious pace, netting four goals in his first four games with the Saints. His first, ironically, came against West Ham in a 3-1 loss to the Hammers. Gabbiadini flashed down the wing and bombed a shot to the top of the net over Darren Randolph in a phenomenal display of skill.

He has since slowed down, scoring just five goals last season and none this season so far. His incredible start set the bar extremely high, and now he’s reserved to just a few minutes per match, if that, from the bench.

He’s still an attractive pursuant for West Ham because he brings what Antonio doesn’t – the ability to finish. He’s an out-and-out striker with a European pedigree at rock bottom value. He is also two years younger than Antonio so there is more room for resell value. As much as Antonio could be seen as a project, Gabbiadini could be too. The swap seems fair and would provide a clean slate for the Italian striker to get at it again in the Premier League.

Christian Benteke – Crystal Palace

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This one is a bit more difficult to justify, especially to those who think West Ham and Crystal Palace have a rivalry, but Benteke could be maximized in a defined role under Pellegrini. Benteke has struggled to find consistency since his first season (2016/17) with Crystal Palace where he scored 15 goals in 36 Premier League matches.

Benteke has just undergone maintenance surgery on his knee to scope and clean out the joint. The surgery was minor and a success as the surgeon was happy with the result. Palace to expect him to return to training in the near future. The knee issue has kept Benteke sidelined since the start of September.

He has some bone-head misses in his portfolio but his ability to get a head on the ball is very enticing. There is the feeling that Palace fans are over their big striker and want to move on from him. Wilfred Zaha’s rise to striker prominence of the past two seasons has also made Benteke second choice so he is expendable to the team.

Crystal Palace were very interested in bringing in Michail Antonio this summer to join their squad as a winger who could play at Zaha’s speed. Antonio could be back on the table for a swap if Benteke was coming the other way.

Why these players?

A good question, and one that I had to think hard about when selecting them. To me, these players fit the bill of what West Ham needs, squad players who are dedicated strikers with the ability to finish at the Premier League level.

They do it differently, but both effectively. Gabbiadini is more of a run-and-gun type player. He’ll be able to play in a counter-attacking style with quick build up but also trusts himself enough to shoot the ball from dangerous areas. Benteke is more of a brute. He’s ideal for Cup matches because he simplifies the game by playing the role of target man. As a sub, he also has the ability to lean on tired defenders and maximize his efforts as a late-game substitution.

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Both of these players coming to West Ham would also signal the selling of Javier Hernandez. Chicharito doesn’t look interested when in matches, is often ill or injured, and West Ham would do well to capitalize on his value while it remains high post World Cup. Perez is a versatile forward who can play across a front three, Carroll is a target man, and Arnautovic is the main man, sorry Chicharito but Gabbiadini and Benteke would force you out!