West Ham are working flat out to sign a striker for new boss Graham Potter and have been increasingly linked with three in particular.
There is no denying West Ham’s striker crisis is the result of some real bad luck.
But it is also a consequence of poor squad planning and building too.
West Ham showed so much promise in their first game under Graham Potter at Aston Villa.
Injuries to Niclas Fullkrug and Crysencio Summerville derailed a brilliant performance, though.
And they have compounded West Ham’s desperate forward situation.
Before Potter’s arrival the Hammers had already lost Michail Antonio for the season after he fractured his thigh bone in a car crash and Jarrod Bowen to a broken foot.
Fullkrug’s serious hamstring injury will keep the Germany striker out for another three months.
Summerville’s own hamstring issue is less serious but may limit Potter’s options in the short-term.
West Ham address Ferguson and David links
There have been lots of Harry Potter quips since the new manager’s appointment.
Potter has revealed his first trick is a solution to West Ham’s striker problem.
But the Hammers boss is not an actual wizard.
So he will need help as soon as possible in the January transfer window.
In the wake of confirmation of the major Fullkrug blow yesterday, West Ham revealed they are ‘working flat out to sign a forward as soon as possible’.
The Irons have been linked with a host of strikers.
Speculation has centred around three in particular in the shape of Brighton’s Evan Ferguson, Lille’s Jonathan David and Middlesbrough’s Emmanuel Latte Lath.
Fergsuon, given his debut by Potter at Brighton, has been the most strongly linked.
That’s despite West Ham ruling out the move at the start of January.
A top spokesman for the club told Hammers News at the time West Ham had contacted Brighton over a potential move.
But it was revealed the Irishman has an ongoing injury.
Hammers respond on interest in Brighton and Lille strikers
“He is injured,” the spokesman for West Ham’s owners has exclusively told Hammers News earlier this month.
“Other targets are being explored all the time,” the key senior London Stadium contact added.
Despite that, Ferguson continues to be linked with the Hammers.
So too does Canada striker David, who is able to sign a pre-contract agreement for a summer move but has also been linked with a January transfer at a knockdown price.
David has also been linked with half of Europe with suitors including Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus.
Boro’s Latte Lath is another West Ham have confirmed interest in to Hammers News.
The Hammers revealed they did not think a deal could be done in the winter window previously, saying: “Middlesbrough are going for promotion and they won’t let a key player go in January.”
Now West Ham have addressed the Ferguson and David links after a shock £18m twist.
Hammers ‘would love’ either but cast doubts amid £18m twist
It was put to a top spokesman for West Ham’s owners that a host of journalists at national titles continue to report the club are interested in signing Ferguson and David.
West Ham’s response was interesting but appears to kill hopes of signing either this January.
Although the response doesn’t rule out moves in the summer.
“We’d love either Ferguson or David,” a West Ham spokesman told Hammers News.
“But there’s no truth in reports we could sign either of them in the short term.”
Meanwhile there has been a major development regarding Middlesbrough forward Latte Lath.
Contrary to what West Ham believe, journalist Graeme Bailey recently told Hammers News that ‘Boro would sell Latte Lath at the right price in January.
Well it seems Bailey may have been right.
Because MLS side Atlanta United have submitted a bid in the region of £18m for Latte Lath, according to Sky in Italy and Sky Sports News.
Former Hammers striker Dean Ashton reacted to news of that bid live on Sky Sports News.
He advised Latte Lath to hold off for a better move.
“He’s made huge strides and become their main man,” Ashton said.
“The problem for Middlesbrough is that seems to be the case for them as a club at the moment, as soon as they get one (doing well), as we saw with Chuba Akpom, they tend to sell.
“So it wouldn’t surprise me. But I’m not sure about that move in particular, I think there would be other clubs that would certainly be interested in him.”
So it seems Hammers fans can forget about signing Ferguson or David this month.
And Latte Lath may be taken off the menu soon too as West Ham’s frantic search goes on.
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