West Ham United are locked in a three-way battle with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur for the signing of Salomon Rondon. West Brom are prepared to let go of their centre-forward who has a release clause of £16m in his current contract.
Darren Moore wants to keep the club’s core group of players at the Hawthorns in order to bounce back to Premier League football after just one season at the Championship. However, Rondon is currently a luxury they might not be able to afford due to the loss of their top-flight status.
The Hammers are on an ambitious path of signing high profile names ahead of the 2018/19 campaign. They have expressed a serious statement after handing over a £10m-a-year contract to Manuel Pellegrini last month. Their past season woes need to be answered with squad improvements and the former Manchester City boss is set on making the necessary additions.
Rondon is at the stage of his playing career where his athletic abilities have not yet escaped him. He has been one of Albion’s best players ever since he made his way over to the Hawthorns from Zenit St. Petersburg. He found the back of the net 10 times and set up 3 assists in 40 total appearances last term.
Even with the lack of supply from the back, Rondon has remained a goal threat for every Premier League opposition. It was only a matter of time before suitors were going to line themselves up for his signature.
The Venezuelan international is physically imposing and has a keen eye for goal. Packed with the scoring sense of traditional number nines, Rondon also has the ability to hold up play when required.
He is primed for the top division and could be the answer to West Ham’s obvious scoring troubles. The Hammers might already have the likes of Andy Carroll, Javier Chicharito Hernandez, Marko Arnautovic and Michail Antonio in the squad but still finished with a negative 20 goal difference. Their recent purchase, Jordan Hugill from Preston North End appeared for only 22 minutes in the last term.
Antonio is better suited for the wing or attacking midfield positions. Arnautovic can appear from the flank but has proven his worth from the striker role as well. Carroll has struggled with his fitness and Hernandez is still unsure of his future at the London Stadium.
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It would not be a shock if at least one of the latter duo gets offloaded to make way for Jose Salomon Rondon.
