BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: David Moyes, Manager of West Ham United looks on during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United at American Express Community Stadium on March 04, 2023 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)
West Ham closing in on €35-40 million agreement for 19-goal target
West Ham United are keen on signing Elye Wahi from French club Montpellier.
A report from RMC Sport claims that the French outfit are on the verge of agreeing on a deal to sell the 20-year-old striker this summer. Apparently, an agreement is close with clubs like West Ham and Lens. The striker is likely to cost around €35-40 million.
It will be interesting to see if West Ham can get the deal across the line before the summer transfer window closes. The Hammers are in desperate need of a quality striker and Wahi would be a superb, long-term acquisition.
The Frenchman scored 19 goals across all competitions last season and he has the attributes to develop into a top-class Premier League forward. West Ham struggled to score goals last season and the likes of Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio were quite underwhelming.
Signing a reliable goalscorer should be West Ham’s top priority apart from improving their midfield options. The Hammers have done well to bring in players like James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez to replace former captain Declan Rice.
They need to improve their defensive options and the attack before the window closes now.
Wahi is likely to be tempted to join a Premier League club this summer and West Ham will be an attractive destination for him. The Hammers will be competing in the UEFA Europa League and they need quality players to do well across all competitions.
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The 20-year-old striker has the talent to justify the reported €35-40 million investment in the long run, and the move could look like a bargain if he manages to fulfil his potential.
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Paul Merson has already highlighted Mauricio Pochettino’s biggest problem at Chelsea
The Chelsea boss has been warned by Paul Merson after a hammer blow was dealt to his Blues squad earlier this week
Sky Sports pundit and former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has pointed out Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino’s most pressing issues ahead of Sunday afternoon’s clash against West Ham.
Both the Blues and the Hammers are still looking for their first wins of the season after 1-1 draws against Liverpool and Bournemouth respectively on the opening weekend started off their season on a positive note.
However, following reports on Thursday, Chelsea have confirmed club captain Reece James will undergo rehabilitation for a hamstring injury he picked up during a training session earlier this week.
Many in the media as well as supporters see the full-back pairing of James and vice-captain Ben Chilwell as two of Chelsea’s biggest strengths but their susceptibility to both short-term and long-term injury has been a thorn in the side of the club for a long time now.
Following on from their harrowing season last year, Merson believes that keeping them both at 100 percent as often as possible will have to be a priority for Pochettino if he wants challenge for the Champions League places by the end of the season – but it’s already been shown to not be that easy.
“I think Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher played brilliantly against Liverpool,” Merson wrote for SportsKeeda. “I also think Nicolas Jackson will be among the goals this season.
“However, if Chelsea are to make an impact and fight for a top 4 sport, they will rely heavily on Ben Chilwell and Reece James. Both of them need to stay fit and healthy throughout the season.
“The two wing-backs have got quality and they get up and down the pitch so well. I think Chelsea will cause West Ham problems on the counter-attack and I expect them to get all three points here.
“If they can win this game against the Hammers and beat Luton Town next week, that will be a solid start for Chelsea. Prediction: West Ham 1-2 Chelsea.”
Despite Merson’s positive thoughts about the weekend, there has been a real struggle for Chelsea in those positions for the past few campaigns. Two serious knee injuries in as many seasons for Chilwell as well as recurring knee and leg issues for James means that the Blues have more often than not been playing at with a weakened side in one way or another.
Fortunately, as opposed to previous years, the Blues will have other options in those positions – Malo Gusto looked impressive enough in his preseason outings to warrant solid minutes in the captain’s absence while Marc Cucurella and Ian Maatsen are able to fill in at left-back if Chilwell was to go down.
Even £115m man Moises Caicedo could be an option for Pochettino at right-back following his move from Brighton earlier this week. Whether that happens, though, remains to be seen.
What is known is that there’s already been a setback to overcome in the early stages of the Argentinian’s time in the dugout and it is how him and players bounce back against David Moyes’ men at the London Stadium this weekend.
