David Moyes has been keen to bring in another attacker, and Nikola Vlasic is just that. West Ham officially announced his signing today, and it’s perfect.
The West Ham world was awoken on Sunday morning with news from nearly never wrong, ExWHUemployee that the Hammers were close to a new signing. That signing, Nikola Vlasic, was close then, and now it’s official. The 23-year-old Croatian comes to East London carrying some impressive hype to a fanbase that is dreaming of it all.
He does have Premier League experience, but the bulk of his growth as a footballer came while playing in Russia for CSKA Moscow. Over his four seasons in Russia, Vlasic has played 87 domestic matches, scoring 28 times and assisting 16 times. He is currently scoring about once every three matches, and if he keeps that % up, he will be a solid fit in any capacity.
Nikola Vlasic also has 26 international caps under his belt, scoring six times over the course of four years. During the 2020 Euro’s, he was the sparkplug to the entire Croatian offense, taking them easily to the Round of 16. I think it’s important to note that he also won the title of The Player of the Year in Russia in 2020.
Nikola Vlasic, the perfect transfer for West Ham United
He might play in a lower league than the EPL, but he has shown time and again that he is one of the best at what he does. He joins West Ham for around €30m and is the perfect fit for Moyes’ system. This has been a massive week for Hammers fans, as Kurt Zouma was announced over the weekend adding defense, and now Vlasic comes in to secure the attacking front.
For the first time in a few years, West Ham and David Moyes have found the perfect front four to lead their attack. The likes of Jarrod Bowen, Said Benrahma, and Pablo Fornals have been crucial behind Michail Antonio, so expecting Nikola to come in a start immediately might be a bit overzealous, but not a far stretch either.
The Croatian brings pace, skill, heart, and a fire to succeed wherever and whenever he plays. This is a massive signing for West Ham in what is hopefully a huge week for the Hammers. As the international break looms, it’s time to build the squad and ready the players for what’s next.