West Ham United have experienced an inconsistent campaign so far under Manuel Pellegrini, but they are still well in contention for securing a top 7 finish in the Premier League this season. The Hammers have played some beautiful football throughout this campaign and have also had their fair share of miseries as well.
Their most recent setback came away at Cardiff City last weekend when the Welsh outfit beat them with a 2-0 scoreline. One problem that has persistently bugged Pellegrini in recent weeks has been the lack of goal-scoring from his strikers.
None of the West Ham forwards has been able to register a goal in the past three league matches which is just not good enough for a club trying to break into the top 6. The East London outfit are still quite far off behind the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ in terms of quality on the field. However, if the Hammers are planning to build a team under Pellegrini that can challenge for a European place soon, then they would need to have a consistent goal-scorer in their ranks.
Marko Arnautovic has hardly got any chances under Pellegrini of late after his failed attempt to leave the London club in favour of a move to China back in January. Both Javier Hernandez and Lucas Perez has also come up short on quite a few occasions while Andy Carroll is currently on the fringes of the West Ham squad.
There is no doubt that the Premier League outfit needs to add some firepower during the summer transfer period. Here are three options for Pellegrini to consider in the summer.
Francesco Caputo
The Empoli frontman is an experienced forward who knows how to find the back of the net. He has scored 12 goals and grabbed three assists in 27 appearances for the Serie A team this season. He could be a good, short-term fit for the Hammers as they try to make a Top 6 push next season.
Fedor Smolov
The 29-year-old is not a prolific goal-scorer, but he is highly experienced and has a tendency to perform well at the biggest stage. The Lokomotiv Moscow forward has also been an integral member of the Russian national team and has 12 goals to his name for his nation.
Smolov could be an excellent option for Pellegrini to bring in who would have the ‘know how’ to perform well in high-profile games against the bigger sides.
Daniel Sturridge
The Liverpool forward has been a sporadic option in Jurgen Klopp’s squad this season. Most of his appearances have come from the bench, but he has still managed to score some crucial goals against teams such as Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. If fit and firing on all cylinders, he can be a prolific goal-scorer. However, Sturridge has struggled with injuries throughout his career so it could be a risky move. But one might argue it’s a risk worth taking.
Moreover, the English forward could potentially be available for free in the summer as his contract at Anfield comes to an end. Hence, he will also be a low-risk acquisition for the Hammers if they decide to go after his services.
