West Ham’s move for ‘next Sadio Mane’ makes sense as new signing has surgery already

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West Ham’s pursuit of a player likened to Sadio Mane now makes perfect sense after one of the club’s new signings was forced to undergo surgery.

The development has left the Hammers in desperate need of more depth — as news emerges of a new transfer bid on the same day the West Ham ace revealed his injury blow.

The target could be the ideal solution for West Ham in more ways than one and the potential signing already has supporters excited.

Hammers fans have long laid claim that the ‘West Ham striker curse’ is real.

It is one of the reasons many West Ham supporters have been left angry and baffled by the club’s decision to go out and sign Callum Wilson following his departure from Newcastle.

As reported on Hammers News prior to his arrival, Wilson missed the equivalent of three full 38-game seasons in his five years at Newcastle through injury.

West Ham curse strikes again

He becomes forward signing number 57 of the David Sullivan era at West Ham, which now stretches back to January 2010.

Very few of the 56 strikers signed by West Ham before Wilson have been success stories.

And the ones who actually do well often don’t stay for long as they are lured elsewhere like Marko Arnautovic.

Meanwhile the rest either flop or endure persistent injuries or bad luck.

In more recent years there has been a succession of strikers who have not worked out from Sebastien Haller and Gianluca Scamacca to Danny Ings and Evan Ferguson.

Current Hammers striker Niclas Fullkrug missed two thirds of his debut campaign through injury and the last to really work out, Andy Carroll, was restricted to less than 20 games per season during his seven years in east London.

West Ham have desperately needed top new young strikers for years now.

The Wilson signing has upset an already agitated Hammers fanbase.

But many supporters would be at peace with that move if it was alongside the signing of another young forward talent who could be the club’s striker for years to come.

Especially given Graham Potter has stated he wants to rebuild West Ham around younger, more dynamic players.

That was one of the reasons he, head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay and sporting director Mark Noble worked hard to persuade Celtic starlet Daniel Cummings to move to West Ham this summer.

Now West Ham’s move for the ‘next Sadio Mane’ makes sense as a new signing has surgery already.

A new report from Foot Mercato in France has claimed the Hammers are pushing hard to bring young Metz striker Idrissa Gueye to the club.

Now West Ham’s move for ‘next Mane’ makes perfect sense

Hammers News reported that Senegal striker Gueye has been scouted for West Ham by Macaulay during Metz’s recent friendly against Lens.

As reported by Football Fancast, 18-year-old Gueye has been compared to former Liverpool hero Mane.

A teammate of new West Ham signing, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Gueye clearly impressed Macaulay, because it’s being claimed the Hammers are desperate to sign the 6ft 2in star, who is said to be available for just £13.5m.

Recent reports suggested Potter did not feel West Ham needed to sign a striker.

That is why fans have accused majority owner Sullivan of forcing Will Salthouse client Wilson on the Hammers boss.

Potter has since insisted he wanted Wilson at West Ham – but many believe he is merely toeing the party line.

Hammers News recently revealed that West Ham’s owners feel the club needs two strikers this summer when confirming they expected to sign Wilson as one of them.

That seems perfectly justifiable given Fullkrug and Wilson are not getting any younger, lack pace and are both seriously injury-prone.

Cummings was brought in from Celtic – who were desperate to keep him – to be part of Potter’s first team squad in the near future.

The 20-year-old fits the recruitment policy of Potter and Cummings’ fellow Scot Macaulay down to a tee.

Brendan Rodgers promised Cummings more game time if he stayed at Celtic.

But the Hammers managed to lure him to the London Stadium with the promise of a pathway to Premier League football in the near future.

Although he has started off with the Under 21s, Cummings was expected to progress quickly to the first team.

New West Ham signing has surgery already

That plan has suffered an early setback, though.

Because Cummings has confirmed on social media he has had to have shoulder surgery and will miss the start of the season as a result.

Just one month after signing, the young scoring sensation – who bagged 30 goals in the Scottish pyramid against senior pros with Celtic B last season – finds himself on the sidelines.

Cummings has posted a picture on his Instagram showing his arm in a cast and sling alongside another image with the caption: “Shoulder op done. Gutted to miss the start of the season. Back stronger.”

Hammers insider Sean Whetstone has shared the post on X, confirming the blow.

Now it is clear to see why West Ham are pushing to sign Gueye.

They need a young striker who can be ready to step up to the first team but can also get regular games with the Under 21s in the meantime, as was the plan with Cummings.

Whether that would be Gueye or young Callum Marshall remains to be seen if the Hammers do seal a deal with Metz.

Cummings sums up the West Ham striker curse.

But it may turn out to be a blessing for Potter as it forces West Ham to act on one of his top young targets in Gueye.