According to a report from the Mirror, West Ham are keen on signing Juventus hitman Mario Mandzukic in January.
The Croatian has been left out of Juve’s Champions League squad, so he might be angling for a move away from Turin in a few months time.
So could West Ham be a good fit for Mandzukic?
The Hammers signed Sebastien Haller and Albian Ajeti in the summer for a combined fee of around £53 million.
Manuel Pellegrini chose to sell Javier Hernandez on transfer deadline day, however, leaving West Ham somewhat short up front.
And at first glance, Mandzukic might just be a useful addition for the east London outfit.
West Ham should avoid a move for the ageing Juve forward, however
At 33, Mandzukic is definitely on the downward curve of his career. He lacks any kind of pace, and his powers are certainly waning.
The Hammers have made a bad habit of signing players well past their best in recent years, but after this summer just gone, that all seems to be changing.
Pellegrini brought in Haller, 25, Ajeti, 22, Pablo Fornals, 23, and Goncalo Cardoso, 18.
Club skipper Mark Noble highlighted the recent shift in strategy, when speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail:
“This club needed to move on from bringing in players who were here to live in London and get a bit of a payday – we need young, enthusiastic players who want to be here for a long time.”
And signing Mandzukic would signal a return to those days. Bringing in the Croatia international would highlight a lack of forward thinking and a future vision from West Ham.
In his heyday, the Juventus ace was a truly elite forward. Those days are gone, however. And it would be incredibly hard for him to adjust to the rigorous demands of the Premier League considering his age.
West Ham would be better off signing a more youthful talent with something to prove in January.
That would certainly fit more into the east London outfit’s new-found transfer philosophy.
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