Julen Lopetegui has made a very solid start to the summer transfer window at West Ham United.
West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui has brought in Luis Guilherme, Wes Foderingham and Max Kilman to the London Stadium in the summer transfer window so far.
The Spaniard allegedly wants to make six new signings as a bare minimum this summer, but he’ll surely be looking for at least eight.
With the Kilman deal now complete, Lopetegui is said to be prioritising the addition of a proven centre-forward this summer.
The 57-year-old obviously needs to sign a left winger and a defensive midfielder too this summer, as well as a couple of full-backs if possible.
That said, it goes without saying that the addition of a top-class striker should take precedent over all else.
It has been a position where the Hammers have struggled to adequately address since Marko Arnautovic left the club five years ago.
The West Ham manager cannot allow a situation to develop whereby we head into the 2024/25 season with Michail Antonio as our number one centre-forward again.
The Jamaica international has been superb for the Hammers over the years, but it’s time to make a big upgrade on him.
And boy, does Lopetegui have an exciting plan up his sleeve…
West Ham summer transfer window reaches fever pitch
It’s very clear to see that the Hammers owners are ready to back Lopetegui to the hilt this summer.
I’ve been hugely impressed by the sheer speed that West Ham have completed transfers over the past month.
Let’s hope to see more of that efficiency when it comes to the new striker signing.
One thing’s for sure, Lopetegui is not messing around with two centre-forwards in particular that he’s targeting this summer.
Alexander Sorloth is on the Hammers’ radar this summer, according to the likes of AS.
Sorloth scored 131 goals in 368 career games. Last season for Villarreal, he bagged an impressive 26 goals and six assists in 41 games.
Standing at 6ft 5in tall, the former Crystal Palace man is an absolute unit and he’s unplayable in the air.
Despite his awesome size and strength, the Norwegian is always willing to run the channels, and he’s ideally suited to the system deployed by Lopetegui.
He’s available for just £25 million – an absolute bargain in this day and age, and if West Ham sign the 28-year-old this summer, I’ll be delighted.
Another striker on West Ham’s radar is Artem Dovbyk of Girona, according to AS (print edition July 6th, page 29).
We have apparently made a £29.6 million bid for the 27-year-old – one that was rejected by Girona.
I think we should be going back in for the Ukraine international though – such is his incredible quality.
He’s another powerhouse, standing at 6ft 2in tall. He’s possesses an imposing physique, impressive pace and lethal finishing ability.
He bagged 25 goals and 10 assists in 41 games in all competitions for Girona last season, and he led the La Liga goalscoring charts.
Dovbyk’s 24 league goals pipped Sorloth’s 23 to the golden boot crown.
West Ham being linked with La Liga’s top two goal-scorers in the same transfer window – how times have changed!
In all seriousness though, if Lopetegui manages to bring just one of them to the London Stadium this summer, we’ll be in a really strong position heading into the new season.
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