A reporter specialising in transfers says he is baffled David Moyes snubbed one particular striker who dropped West Ham hints before moving elsewhere.
West Ham fans are still angry that the club failed to make any signings in the January transfer window.
With the club fighting on three fronts during the run in and clear gaps in the squad, Hammers supporters feel it will prove to be a massive opportunity missed.
Particularly given the desperate need for another striker with Michail Antonio the only senior forward in the West Ham squad.
Goodness knows West Ham were linked with enough strikers. And one of those was Dutch target man Wout Weghorst (Calcio Mercato).
Back in November, reported Hammers striker target Weghorst sparked speculation over a potential January move to West Ham with his actions on social media.
As is the way of the modern world, social media can often whip football fans into a frenzy.
And 29-year-old Weghorst suddenly started following West Ham on social media as well as several other Hammers-related accounts. Weghorst also started following former West Ham striker Sebastien Haller – the man many thought he might theoretically replace if he did join the club in January.
Fans assumed that meant a move for Weghorst was somewhat inevitable. And what was not to like? At that stage the forward had scored 159 goals in 370 games for club and country.
But while West Ham failed to make a single signing, relegation battlers Burnley sealed a bargain £12m move for Weghorst.
He has made an instant impact at Turf Moor, helping Sean Dyche’s side pick up vital points against Watford and Manchester United and then scoring in a superb 3-0 win away at Brighton where he was man of the match.
Meanwhile West Ham continue to toil with misfiring Antonio looking fatigued up front as their European hopes begin to be called into question.
Transfer reporter baffled David Moyes snubbed striker who had dropped West Ham hints
And Moyes’s decision to snub a January move for Weghorst left talkSPORT transfer reporter Alex Crook baffled.
“Wout Weghorst, £12m he cost Burnley from Wolfsburg and he was absolutely brilliant at Brighton,” he told talkSPORT on Sunday Evening’s Boot Room.
“Surely that would have been an easier deal for West Ham? They were looking for alternatives to Antonio, there’s a player who they know wants to come to the Premier League.
“I don’t disrespect Burnley, but if you have a choice between Burnley and West Ham, you would go to West Ham.
“I don’t understand why they didn’t try and get that deal done.
“They ended the window chasing unrealistic targets, like Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha at Leeds. They tried to get Darwin Nunez from Benfica – Brighton tried to sign him last summer and it proved impossible.
“They should have gone for Weghorst. He was a brilliant option and could have given them that lift like Jesse Lingard gave them last season.”
It’s hard to disagree with Crook’s assessment.
We get that Moyes is trying to create a new recruitment model at West Ham where he only signs players and characters he believes can improve his starting XI.
But surely a move for someone like Weghorst as back-up, a different option to – or partner for – Antonio would have been better than nothing.
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