West Ham got lucky escape with £30m bid as misfiring striker tipped for Brighton transfer

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West Ham United’s seemingly-unbreakable track-record when it comes to signing centre-forwards is something a Premier League heritage these days.

With every summer comes a new number nine, desperate to prove that talk of a striker ‘curse’ at the London Stadium is nothing more than round-the-campfire hear-say.

But as Niclas Fullkrug falls into the same pit of despair that claimed Gianluca Scamacca, Lucas Perez, Albian Ajeti, Jonathan Calleri and Simone Zaza – only four Premier League starts and three goals to show from the German’s injury-hit time in England – anyone new centre-forward arriving at West Ham United this summer will need to possess an iron will and perhaps his own flock of dedicated shamans.

The agent of 16-goal Schalke striker Moussa Sylla opened the door to West Ham last month.

The Hammers have been linked with Yuri Alberto once again – the Internacional frontman making his bi-annual return to the gossip columns – while Strasbourg sensation Emmanuel Emegha has caught the eye too.

Good luck, boys.

As for Brian Brobbey, at least the broad-shouldered Ajax bruiser has taken the time to make West Ham feel as if they may have dodged a bullet. His form dipping and the goals drying up at the mere mention of The Hammers, even if a January switch to the English capital failed to materialise.

Brian Brobbey has struggled after failed West Ham United bid

Reports out of Holland suggested that West Ham made a ‘ridiculous’ bid for Brian Brobbey during the winter winter.

It would emerge that the offer was an initial loan, with an obligation to make the deal permanent a few months down the line for up to £30 million.

Exactly what was meant by the term ‘ridiculous’ is up for debate. Perhaps it was down to the timing of said offer. Ajax were never likely to play ball in the midst of a fierce Eredivisie title battle. Perhaps it was the fee.

Because, in hindsight, spending £30 million on Brian Brobbey does feel somewhat ‘ridiculous’. But perhaps not in the way the Dutch press may have envisaged when reporting on West Ham’s interest at the time.

Because, four months later, this old-school, back-to-goal, battering ram of a centre-forward finds himself on yet another lengthy barren run. In fact, across 44 appearances this term, Brobbey has nearly as many yellow cards [seven] as he has goals [eight].

For context, in 45 games last season, Brobbey hit the net 21 times. His fall-off has been as dramatic as it has been rapid. It is not often West Ham are the lucky ones when it comes to missing out on their striker targets, but perhaps in this case a sigh of relief is in order.

Rafael van der Vaart urges Brobbey to swap Ajax for Brighton

Dutch legend Rafael van der Vaart is confident Brobbey will still come good, however. He feels that, no matter how many guilt-edge chances he skews over the bar, a lot can be solved with a change of scenery.

“I know for sure that, if he goes abroad, he will become a great player again. He just has to leave Ajax,” former Tottenham and Real Madrid playmaker Van der Vaart tells Ziggo Sport, picking out one Premier League club who could jump-start his stalling career.

“I don’t mean that in a bad way, but that connection is no longer there. He is probably also playing against himself a bit. If you leave the Netherlands, there is also less attention on you.

“I would like to see him in England. Brighton and Hove Albion for example. I really still believe in him.”

In stark contrast to West Ham, Brighton’s record in the transfer market is made up by far more ‘hits’ than ‘misses’. Yet, even The Seagulls may have themselves quite the project if they end up taking a punt on a striker for whom hitting a barn door with a tuba, let alone a banjo, feels like quite the achievement on current form.

“How is it possible that the Italian (Ajax coach Francesco Farioli) keeps putting him in the starting line-up?” pundit Johan Derksen tells Vandaag Inside.

“We have to conclude that a striker who doesn’t score can’t handle the level, that you shouldn’t put him in the starting line-up. [Wout] Weghorst has a much higher return.”

“[Former Manchester United and Ajax boss Erik] Ten Hag wanted to pay forty million euros for him,” adds reporter Valentijn Driessen, West Ham maybe not the only Premier League team who had a lucky escape.

“Now, they are not even paying ten million.”