Sky Sports has recently reported that West Ham United are showing interest in landing Bournemouth striker Joshua King before the domestic transfer deadline on October 16. It is understood that the Cherries are asking for a fee of around £18m for their prized asset with the Hammers desperately looking to strengthen their squad by acquiring his services for this new campaign (via Sky Sports).
King’s Recent Struggles At The South Coast Of England
King encountered a disappointing campaign at the Vitality Stadium in the last term when he struggled to be consistent in terms of his overall productivity in front of the opposition goal. The 28-year-old netted six goals and provided four assists in 27 appearances under Eddie Howe’s stewardship last season in all competitions.
The Norwegian frontman caught the eye for averaging 1.0 shots, 1.2 key passes and 2.0 dribbles per 90 minutes in the 2019-20 Premier League campaign. However, he was a bit untidy with his ball-distribution as he made only 72.3% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
The Oslo-born forward’s contributions weren’t enough for Bournemouth to avoid relegation earlier this year. Hence, King could welcome the chance to join the Hammers as he will once again get a shot to prove his value at the highest level.
What Will The Norwegian International Bring To The London Stadium?
King can use his speed and acceleration to make a few well-timed runs behind the opponent’s backline. He is usually a composed finisher and is very good with his positioning in the attacking third. The Norwegian attacker is even an excellent penalty taker but can sometimes fade in certain matches which explains his inconsistent form at the Vitality Stadium last season.
Is King The Right Fit For The Hammers?
King could potentially strike up a devastating partnership with Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen and Pablo Fornals if David Moyes can find a way to get snap him up this month. He will bring plenty of pace and could even add some goals to West Ham’s frontline. However, the 48-time Norwegian international lacks the winning mindset which the Hammers require to build a strong squad capable of challenging for major trophies in the years to come.
For now, Moyes should only consider orchestrating a move for King if he is hoping to use him as a rotational piece when the Premier League resumes after the international break. Last season proved that the Bournemouth striker might not be the most reliable option when it comes to grinding out results in the crunch time of the season. All in all, King won’t be the best fit for the East London outfit but could still be a shrewd signing for them as he will enhance the overall depth of their squad.
