West Ham are in the market for a new striker, and Boulaye Dia has been linked to the club, the striker would be the perfect acquisition.
Sebastien Haller arrived at West Ham and despite some good moments was found wanting on too many occasions. These issues led to the striker’s sale to Ajax, and the Hammers must not make the same mistake twice.
The club, like always, has been linked to what seems to be every striker in Europe in their hunt for a new forward. Players like Patson Daka, Olivier Giroud, Eddie Nketiah, Graziano Pelle, Marko Arnautovic and Arkadiusz Milik are just some of the names that are of interest of West Ham.
Links to Boulaye Dia, however, may have come out of nowhere, and fans might not have been aware of the striker. Dia, however, is a top player and would be the perfect signing for David Moyes’ team and style of play.
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Similar Style
One of the main issues with Haller was his inability to fit into the Hammer’s play style. Moyes has developed a style of play around Michial Antonio which requires pace, power and a hard-working ethic. Dia plays a similar role for Stade de Reims.
The French side rarely have over 50% possession, just like the Hammers. Dia would easily slot into Moyes’ system without needing to adapt his game too much. This means that Moyes would be able to stick with his favoured play style if Antonio is not available to play.
The Senegalese striker, like Antonio, defends from the front, helping solidify the team. Dia has made more tackles per ninety minutes than the hammer – 0.5 vs 0.4. Dia has also made more interceptions and clearances than Antonio.
So it would make sense for Moyes to target a striker to support Antonio in the squad that has a very similar play style. Dia has proved that he is more than capable of performing this role in Ligue 1. The only question would be if the Riems striker can carry this into the Premier League.
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Clinical Finishing
West Ham have been in need of an out and out goalscorer for the best part of a decade. The most prolific players the Hammers have had only enjoyed short hot-streaks. Antonio had a great run of form towards the end of last season. Marko Anautovic was semi-regular in front of goal, and Ricardo Vaz Te was more productive in the Championship.
Dia, on the other hand, is proving to be a top goalscorer in France. The striker currently has 12 goals in the Ligue 1 this season. Not only is that more than any West Ham player this season but is joint top scorer with superstar Kylian Mbappe.
Compared to Antonio, Dia does fall short at making key passes, dribbles and winning free-kicks. The Riems man, however, is superior at staying onside, passing, having better control on the ball and keeping the ball. Antonio has often been criticised for lacking in the technical department. This is an area that Dia can excel in and make a big difference to West Ham’s attack.
Dia also takes the same amount of shots per ninety as Antonio, 2.1. The 24-year-old, however, has averaged a goal every 114 minutes. Antonio is currently averaging a goal every 192 minutes. In his defence, he is returning from injury, though there is still a big disparity.
With the need for goals very much a constant in the world of football, Dia could be the man to provide for West Ham. This season holds a lot of promise for the Hammers, and if they get someone putting chances away, then the Hammers could realise their potential.
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Value
If there is one thing, the West Ham board love more than anything, it is a bargain. Dia would not cost an arm and a leg to get and is nowhere near the price of Haller. The Reims man only has 18 months left on his contract, and his club could be willing to sell him now before his value drops any further.
In fact, Dia has been fairly valued between £10 and £15 million, which should be affordable for the Hammers after the sale of their record signing.
The Hammers would also be able to give Dia a significant pay-rise from his current contract in France. Even with a big bump to his weekly wages, it would not upset the apple cart at West Ham either.
At only 24-years-old Dia still has plenty of time to get even better. If the player is able to adapt to the Premier League, it would see his value rise dramatically. This potential rise in value could mean that the club could actually make a profit for once with any future sale.
With the other potential options likely to cost more than £15 million or even £20 million, Dia would be one of the cheaper players to buy. The Senegalese striker would also demand fewer wages than ‘cheaper’ options like Milik, Giroud or even Pelle.
A move for Dia makes sense on so many levels and is one West Ham must do their best to complete. In the meantime, the Hammers will have to persevere with Antonio and youngster Apemido Obudeko,