West Ham United are said to be in the market for a striker in the January transfer window.
With Manuel Pellegrini’s future still in doubt, it is unlikely West Ham’s frugal owners will sanction any mega money moves.
David Sullivan and David Gold are big fans of loan deals with an option to buy.
The duo feel it minimises risk.
Recent reports claim Sullivan is reasserting control over transfers after losing faith in director of football Mario Husillos (The Guardian).
West Ham looking at strikers in January
So the Hammers will undoubtedly be on the hunt for cheap or loan signings in the January window.
And Everton could have the answer.
Fans feel the paltry £25million net spend in the last two transfer windows has left Pellegrini’s squad sorely lacking in key areas.
A striker will be a priority given the club unfathomably went into the season with just one proven forward on their books in Sebastien Haller.
And even he has struggled in the last two months.
So too has Everton forward Moise Kean.
The Italian was at the centre of the most controversial incident of the weekend when he was substituted by interim Toffees boss Duncan Ferguson just 18 minutes after COMING ON as a substitute in a 1-1 draw at Manchester United.
Hammers should try to take advantage of controversial Kean incident
Ferguson has been criticised for his treatment of the 19-year-old.
Kean’s future at Everton was already in serious doubt with talk of a return to Italy (The Daily Mail).
But West Ham must use the weekend incident as an opportunity to explore a potential loan deal for Kean with the option to buy in the summer.
Everton may be tempted to cut their losses. And with Carlo Ancelotti on the verge of being appointed he too might want to bring in his own players in the most important part of the team.
Everton signed Kean for £27m from Juventus in the summer but he is yet to score in 12 appearances so far.
That record perhaps won’t impress West Ham fans too much. But it was just six months ago that Kean was one of the hottest prospects in Europe. And West Ham need to build a team of young, athletic, hungry stars.
AC Milan are said to have approached Kean’s renowned agent Mino Raiola about a January move (Football Italia).
So West Ham do face competition.
Kean could be the perfect foil for Haller
The report claims Everton see the 19-year-old as a saleable asset.
Kean could be just what West Ham need to play off the more experienced Haller. Michail Antonio has been excellent since his return to the side.
But he is injury-prone and turns 30 this season.
Haller would have a young, pacy striker to feed off his hold-up play for the next few years.
Loan with an option is a structure favoured by Sullivan and Gold as it ticks two boxes for them. Cheap and lessens the risk.
Whether Everton would sanction such a move to a Premier League rival remains to be seen.
So West Ham may have to be prepared to match what the Blues paid for Kean in the first place.
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