According to reports, West Ham United are plotting a move for Atletico Madrid frontman Luciano Vietto. The youngster is currently surplus to requirements at the club and Atleti would welcome any suitors for him in the near future.
Slaven Bilic has had a rough time dealing with the ups and downs in this season as the Hammers have endured a tough start. Bilic welcomed Javier Hernandez in the summer but the Mexican striker is yet to recapture his form.
This has forced the Croatian to look out for another capable hitman and he has identified this Argentine forward. Vietto arrived at Atleti in 2015 but had his problems as he has been struggling to get into rhythm.
He was sent back to Sevilla on loan last season and had the necessary breakthrough what was he craving for the last few months. The 23-year-old scored 10 goals in all competitions for the Spanish club which persuaded Diego Simeone to include him in his plan this season.
But the striker has featured in five games this season and is yet to find the back of the net which might force Simeone to rethink his future. With Diego Costa’ arrival pending in January, Atleti have that luxury to cash in on the player.
Vietto is young and energetic, has the quality to develop in the future and moreover, he would love to try his luck in the most difficult league in this world. Bilic is well stocked in the forward department but both Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho have had their problems with injuries, so the move for the Argentine forward makes sense.
An excellent finisher of the ball, Vietto has a unique eye for goal. He has electric pace and can create havoc with his trickery and skills. Bilic has a very tough task to cut out as Southampton are also in the race to land the player. The Saints are in an acute crisis of goals at the moment and manager Mauricio Pellegrini has prioritized the arrival of a goal poacher.
They were linked with the player in the summer but were unable to do business. But if an opportunity arises, they would be the first to jump in. West Ham have shown they are ready to flex their financial muscle if needed, as they broke the bank to bring in Marko Arnautovic for a record fee. So it won’t be a problem for the Hammers to splash money as they are very keen to resolve their problems. But can Vietto be the solution?
