West Ham United received a big boost for the rest of their Premier League season as their talisman Marko Arnautovic confirmed that he is not leaving the club in January. Speculations were rife that the player would be leaving for the Chinese Super League but now his statement has put all the rumours to rest.
However, according to Sky Sports, the Hammers are nearing a deal for Uruguayan striker Maxi Gomez. According to the report, West Ham United are ready to meet the player’s £43.2m release clause. The player has been one of the best forwards in the La Liga this season and has notched up nine goals so far in the colours of Celta Vigo.
The Hammers have been too reliant on Marko Arnautovic this season with the former Stoke City ace delivering the goods for their side on a consistent basis.
However, the manager Manuel Pellegrini is wise enough to understand that he would need an able backup for the Austrian marksman, who has done the bulk of the scoring for his side with seven goals this season.
The likes of Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez have not been able to perform well this season, and this is where Maxi Gomez comes into the fray. The 22-year-old has been a menace for the opposition this season so far with his deceiving runs, and he could be the perfect backup for Arnautovic if the Hammers can land him this January.
Despite Gomez’s abilities, the fact that the player has no experience of playing in the Premier League previously could be a detriment for the east London side in bringing him in. However, his ability to score goals from a variety of range could come in handy for Pellegrini if the deal can be cracked.
West Ham United have done well to turn their season around from the disastrous start they had to their campaign. To hold onto the impetus, they would need players like Gomez to be included in the side to give them firepower up front. With a number of their key players and genuine goalscorers like Manuel Lanzini and Andriy Yarmolenko out with injuries for an indefinite period, the addition of the Celta Vigo ace would definitely help them beef up the attack and bring depth to the squad as well.
