The Daily Express has recently claimed that West Ham United striker Sebastien Haller is a subject of interest from AS Monaco this summer. It is believed that the French outfit are ready to launch a move for the Hammers marksman who endured a frustrating spell at the London Stadium last season (via The Daily Express).
Haller’s Underwhelming Spell At The English Capital
The French forward was West Ham’s £45m club-record acquisition from Eintracht Frankfurt but has so far failed to live up the growing expectations surrounding his move last summer. He banged in seven goals and grabbed two assists in 34 appearances for the East London outfit in the previous campaign on all fronts.
Haller is a hard-working centre-forward who ended the 2019-20 Premier League season with an average of 0.7 tackles, 0.8 clearances, 1.8 shots, 0.8 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per 90 minutes. However, he was responsible for giving away the ball cheaply as evident from his pass success rate of 65.8% in league football (stats via whoscored).
The 26-year-old has played for France at various youth levels but is nowhere near good enough to represent Didier Deschamps’ senior team at the moment. A return to his homeland this summer could help Haller rediscover his old form in familiar surroundings. However, West Ham boss David Moyes should only consider letting him leave if he can get a fair transfer fee for his services.
What Does The French Forward Add To David Moyes’ Side?
Haller is physically strong and can be a dominant presence in the air. He has the capacity to hold the ball up to get others involved in the final third but lacks the pace to outrun the opposition defenders. On his day, the French striker could be a decent finisher in front of goal, but things have not gone his way in England since his big move from Frankfurt last summer.
Should The Hammers Cash In On Haller This Summer?
It seems like Haller has struggled to cope with the physical nature of Premier League football but has shown a few signs of promise in what was another gruelling campaign for West Ham in the last term. Moyes has currently got Michail Antonio as his first-choice striker while Jordan Hugill has returned from his successful loan season-long spell at Queens Park Rangers. Therefore, Haller still has a very good chance to prove his worth at the London Stadium next season as he has all the attributes needed to compete and reclaim a regular first-team spot in Moyes’ starting XI.
All in all, the Hammers need to be a bit patient with the French striker as he might have a great sophomore year at West Ham next term. At the same time, Moyes would be wise to add some quality to his attacking department this summer so that he has a strong squad capable of steering clear of the relegation dogfight in the coming seasons.
