West Ham versus Burnley on Saturday afternoon proved devastating for Danny Ings’ future at the London Stadium as the club continues to call out for a new striker purchase in the January transfer window.
In response to Michail Antonio’s recent injury sustained while playing for his country, David Moyes decided to start Ings in the striker role, with Lucas Paqueta, Tomas Soucek, and Mohammed Kudus leading the attack.
Dominic Solanke of Bournemouth is still wanted by West Ham, despite a rumored unsuccessful £40 million offer from the summer, according to The Mirror.
It’s also known that Ings, who hasn’t scored a goal this year, might leave in the upcoming transfer window if West Ham can’t find a worthy successor.
Even though the Cherries are unwilling to part with their lucky charm and will resist any offers for him, according to talkSport, the London team seems determined to keep Solanke in their clutches.
One striker on the list of players who might sign with the Hammers is Solanke. On the other hand, it appears David Moyes is eager to add a player with Premier League experience.
But it’s no secret that West Ham has a terrible history of signing terrible strikers. The Hammers have been devoid of a productive forward capable of scoring more than 20 goals a season, starting with their most recent failure, Gianluca Scamacca, and continuing with players like Simone Zaza, Sofiane Feghouli, Lucas Perez, and Sebastien Haller.
One could argue that Ings should be on that list as well. His 14 touches against Burnley should likely be his final as a member of the West Ham team, as he was substituted for Divin Mubama, 19, shortly after the hour-mark.
Due to his remarkable work ethic and commitment to the team, Antonio is a rare exception to the striker curse in West London and has grown to become a fan favorite during his eight years at the club. But with a lengthy history of injuries, it is important to manage his playing time at 33.
Solanke could play some fantastic, free-flowing football, but he could also thrive on a team that had superstar Jarrod Bowen, young sensation Kudus, set-piece specialist James Ward-Prowse, and impact players Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals on the bench.
A young Solanke eventually moved to Bournemouth in January 2019 after struggling to find opportunities at Chelsea and Liverpool. The forward was given the opportunity to obtain invaluable experience in the Championship, where he scored 44 goals in 86 appearances over two seasons, despite the fact that the Cherries were relegated that season.
He has a track record of scoring goals, no question about it. He can only do so much with his current team, though, as he does not have the same level of players surrounding him as he did at West Ham.
Even though he recently signed a new four-year contract, Solanke is leagues above the rest of his teammates and may view Moyes’ interest as a way out of a team that is in danger of relegation. He has already matched his record of six Premier League goals from the previous season.
And Solanke offers more than just objectives. With seven assists, three more than Marcus Tavernier in second place, he was Bournemouth’s best playmaker the previous season.
The way West Ham plays would be greatly aided by his hold-up play and ability to get others into the attack. He would feed passes into the wide areas for Paqueta and Bowen before sprinting into the penalty area to poke home the crosses.
The Hammers were present in the stands at the Vitality Stadium earlier this season when the striker wrapped around Alphonse Areola to score the equalizer in a 1-1 draw, so they will be familiar with the player’s raw ability.
It would be obvious for West Ham to sign their star player if Bournemouth were to accept a bid of around £40 million. A standout striker might be the missing component in their football puzzle that allows them to secure a spot in the top six.
