West Brom had been persistently linked with a move for West Ham United striker Diafra Sakho throughout the summer transfer window but their £15m move for the Senegalese is now off because the player has a back problem. The 26-year-old was thought to have agreed on a transfer to Hawthorns this summer but now that the deal is off the table, the Baggies have to look for alternatives.
Tony Pulis is quite desperate to add a new striker to his squad this summer as Saido Berahino’s future at the club is still up in the air. Jose Salomon Rondon had a disappointing debut season and Rickie Lambert also was not a success last campaign. The Baggies looked toothless in attack the last term managing the second least number of Premier League goals (just 34).
There is a long time to go before the transfer window slams closed and West Brom can easily find the perfect alternative to Sakho. We thought we could give Pulis a hand in his search and here are three players he can go for.
Chris Martin
The 27-year-old has been one of the best strikers in the Championship for a long time now and is pretty much deserving of a step up now. The Derby County striker is a threat in the air and boasts a strong hold-up play- that’s pretty much everything you need to succeed under a manager like Tony Pulis. The Scottish international is still only 27 and is right now at his peak. Martin is capable of offering a whole new dimension to the Baggies’ attack.
Laurent Depoitre
The Belgian international has made a name for himself in European football in the last couple of seasons. A late bloomer, the Gent striker is a menace in the air and has attracted an enormous interest from a host of Premier League clubs over the last season. The 27-year-old should move to a bigger stage now to showcase his talent in front of a larger audience. West Brom could certainly make a move for the Belgian target-man.
Rudy Gestede
The 27-year-old made his move to Aston Villa last summer hoping to make a mark in the Premier League but things did not go according to plans as the Midlands club were demoted to the Championship for the first time in Premier League era. The Benin international failed to make his name with Aston Villa but he has all the ingredients to succeed at West Brom under Tony Pulis. There are very few strikers better than Gestede when it comes to aerial prowess. The Baggies could definitely make a raid on their rivals for the 27-year-old.
