West Ham are in the market for a striker this summer and numerous names have already been rumoured with a move to the club.
The Hammers are enquiring and beginning to bid for a number of centre-forwards as they weigh up which option is the best.
Six strikers appear to be on David Moyes’ shortlist, so who are they and what could they offer?
West Ham have been linked with multiple strikers this summer, but which six are reportedly top the Hammers’ shortlist?
Armando Broja
The best place to start is with the man who seems to be the club’s first choice, Armando Broja. According to numerous reports West Ham are preparing to bid £30million for the Albanian goalscorer.
The 20-year-old is a Chelsea player but spent last season out on loan at Southampton and impressed netting nine goals in all competitions last campaign. His work rate is exceptional; the Saints demand their strikers to press well and win the ball back high and this is something Broja took to exceptionally well. He is also a great dribbler being tough to knock off the ball due to his combination of strength and speed. Then when he gets in front of goal he is a composed finisher.
At his young age, there is also plenty of room for him to improve but he has Premier League experience already which makes him an even more attractive signing. The main downside is his inability to create chances for others compared to Michail Antonio, who got 11 assists last season.
We have scouted Broja more in-depth to find out what he can offer West Ham, have a read HERE.
Youssef En-Nesyri
His name might ring a bell as Youssef En-Nesyri was linked with a £40million move to West Ham last summer and he also featured against the Irons in the Europa League last 16 win over Sevilla.
The Moroccan is an interesting option and is back on Moyes’ radar due to the Spanish club offering him to West Ham for just £25million. En-Nesyri netted a fantastic 24 goals in the 2020/21 season but his form dipped massively scoring only five in the season just finished.
This drop-off in goal-scoring has concerned Moyes who is now less willing to bring him in despite the reduced fee. But, the 25-year-old has proven he has talent and could need a transfer to rediscover his best football. Plus, East London could be a good destination with his international teammate Nayef Aguerd having just signed for the club.
En-Nesyri’s main strength is in the air but he is by no means slow and he does posses a turn of pace. He is not the best creator of chances and has failed to perform consistently across two seasons but there is talent for Moyes to work with.
Emmanuel Dennis
The Watford attacker lit up the Premier League in the first half of the season and ended the campaign with a respectable ten goals and six assists in a poor team that were eventually relegated.
As a result, the 24-year-old is looking for a move away from Vicarage Road with many potential suitors interested in a transfer that could be worth a reported £20million.
Dennis is a small striker and would not be able to hold up the play or win aerial battles but he offers speed, dribbling and an array of clever finishes. He is the type of player that gets fans of their seats with his ability to carry the ball and interestingly he completed more ‘nutmegs’ than anyone other player in Europe’s top five leagues. Additionally, he can play out wide too and his versatility makes him even more of a worthwhile signing.
It’s also worth noting he is a hard worker off the ball and puts in the hard yards for his team. However, the downside comes due to some rumours circulating that he has a bad attitude. West Ham have a great dressing room, this is vital for on the pitch success, and it would be a risk signing someone with that reputation if claims made are true.
Mohamed Bayo
Mohamed Bayo is a lesser known striker playing for French side Clermont Foot. It was the club’s first season in Ligue 1 and they have Bayo to thank for sending them there and staying up. He scored 22 goals in their promotion campaign and then 14 in the top flight.
Clermont is a small club and Bayo himself has revealed he is ready to make the step up and play for a bigger side. He could be available for £8-12million, according to reports making him the cheapest option. If West Ham choose to spend big on James Ward-Prowse then the budget for a centre-forward may not be so large making Bayo a good alternative.
There is no doubting Bayo’s ability to score goals, he is a ruthless finisher and a decent dribbler. But he lacks experience at the top level and Moyes has very high standards. His ability to bring others into the game and win headers is also questionable. Bayo isn’t the complete player but he has potential. See how Moyes has improved nearly every member of the West Ham squad, including turning Antonio into a quality striker, so Bayo could be his next project.
West Ham were keen on him back in January so he’s clearly someone the club have been scouting for some time so know what they’d be getting.
Giacomo Raspadori and Gianluca Scamacca
West Ham are linked with both Sassuolo strikers, Raspadori and Scamacca.
Raspadori looks more likely to head to another Serie A club this summer. However, he makes the cut in this article because reports in Italy suggest West Ham have made a £22million bid for him despite the club being aware a deal would be hard to complete.
He scored 10 goals and got another five assists last year. Despite his talent he doesn’t seem like the style of player West Ham want.
His teammate Scamacca would be a better fit. He is 6ft 5in tall but isn’t your stereotypical big striker. He is fairly quick, has unbelievably quick feet, good hold up play and likes to get his shots off quickly. Scamacca is much more than a big man to win aerial duels. He netted 16 goals last season and aged 23 there is plenty of time for him to get better.
Arsenal, Newcastle and PSG are believed to all want him and he does not appear to be at the top of West Ham’s wishlist despite some rumours the East Londoners may be interested.