West Ham United appear to have found a new goalscoring hero in the shape of Sebastien Haller.
Haller became West Ham’s most expensive signing of all time when they shelled out £45million on the striker last month (BBC Sport).
Of course in the modern game that is the going rate for even a modest forward.
But for West Ham it was a big outlay so the spotlight is understandably on the 6ft 3in Frenchman.
Haller be thy name
So far, so good. Haller netted a brace in just his second game for the Hammers, the 3-1 away win over Watford last time out.
It came after a solid but ultimately fruitless showing from the new boy in the defeat to Manchester City on the opening weekend.
If Haller scores the goals to help make Manuel Pellegrini’s new-look West Ham tick then his price tag will not be an issue.
But it could actually end up being a lot more than the initial £45million that has been widely reported.
New report claims Haller could cost Hammers £55m
According to a new report in The London Evening Standard, Haller could actually end up costing West Ham a cool £55million.
“Haller’s switch to West Ham could eventually be worth £55m,” The Standard claims, presumably based on various clauses being met during his time in East London.
“But he insists he is embracing the pressure of his transfer fee,” the report continues.
Haller himself told The Standard: “It is a good pressure to have. They buy me for a high amount, so the pressure I have to show it, but once the club spend a lot of money on you, it shows faith in you.”
Money no guarantee of instant success, just ask Maxi
Spending big money on a striker is not an instant fix, though.
One only needs to take a look at the man West Ham could well have signed instead of Haller, Maxi Gomez.
The Uruguayan, who opted to join Valencia instead of the Hammers for around the same fee as West Ham forked out for their number 22, has endured a nightmare start to life at his new club, read the full story here.
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