According to a recent report by Spanish news outlet Sport, Premier League outfit West Ham United are said to be interested in acquiring the services of Danish international striker Martin Braithwaite. The versatile attacker currently plies his trade in the La Liga with Barcelona, and it has been claimed that the Catalan club would be willing to offload him at the right price in the summer. The player’s agents are already said to be on the lookout for a summer move away from the Nou Camp.
The report suggests that West Ham United and Everton are both keeping tabs on the 28-year-old who has done a decent job since joining Barcelona as an emergency signing not too long ago. It has been claimed that Leganes had offers to sell their man in January, but decided against it. Barcelona paid €18m for the attacker’s services – a sum they will be eager to recover from a future transfer. Despite this, with the recent Coronavirus epidemic taking over, the striker could stay at the Catalan side for another year.
What Is West Ham United’s Attacking Situation?
The Hammers seemed to pick up one of the best signings of the season on paper in the summer when they acquired Sebastien Haller. Although there were some early signs of promise, it’s safe to say that the Frenchman’s display up top for this West Ham team has been underwhelming. Despite boasting good height and strength, the youngster just doesn’t seem to have the mental strength and general conviction required to score goals in the Premier League consistently.
Once David Moyes took over at the helm, the experienced manager was quick to identify this weak link on the front-line, and immediately brought Michail Antonio into the side as well. Together, the duo formed an excellent partnership, and this led to the Frenchman eventually getting seven goals from 27 league appearances.
While Antonio’s wide-play has been extremely useful, it must be conceded that Haller has been punching well below his weight all through the campaign.
Why Martin Braithwaite Would Be A Smart Signing?
The former Leganes and Middlesbrough man is a versatile attacker who can play anywhere across the front-line. A centre-forward by trade, the Danish international tends to be an excellent finisher of the ball, while his passing and link-up play could be what motivated Barcelona to choose him as the emergency option as well. Despite not being overly tall, the attacker uses his physicality well and certainly has the skill and pace required to get past a man.
Most importantly, the Barcelona striker could come in as a utility option for David Moyes. While he could end up replacing Haller as the primary goalscorer, he’s got the versatility as well as quality to operate down one of the flanks, or even as a number ten. His exploits at the Nou Camp since joining Barcelona have certainly caught the eye, while the fact that he’s still only 28 could be enough to motivate the London side to make a serious move in the summer.
