In a recent interview with Football Insider, former Premier League forward Gabriel Agbonlahor reckoned that West Ham United should be going after Olympique Lyonnais striker Moussa Dembele as he said, “West Ham need another striker.
“Michail Antonio will get injuries so they need a better backup striker than Sebastien Haller.
“We see a lot of clubs now that have decent backup strikers.
“For me, Josh King, Moussa Dembele they are the type of players that Premier League clubs are going to be looking at to try and bring in.
“I’m sure West Ham will be looking for one of them because they’ve all got pace, that’s what you need in the Premier League as a striker, you need to have that threat in behind and all three of them would suit a Premier League club.”
Dembele’s Record At Lyon Over The Past 18 Months
The Sun had revealed earlier this month that the Hammers are eyeing a cut-price move for the French forward after identifying him as an ideal replacement for Sebastien Haller, who has struggled to give a good account of himself in English football.
The former Celtic striker has made an underwhelming start as he is yet to open his goal-scoring account for this campaign. He has featured in 10 matches for Lyon this term but has struggled to find the finishing touch in front of the opposition goal.
However, Dembele had a terrific season at the Groupama Stadium in the last term when he banged in 24 goals and seven assists in 46 appearances for Rudi Garcia’s side across all competitions.
The Pontoise-born speedster did well to average 2.1 shots, 0.8 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per match in the 2019-20 Ligue 1 campaign. However, his ball-distribution was far from convincing as he completed only 70.1% of his attempted passes in the French top tier last season (stats via whoscored).
What Will The French Striker Add To David Moyes’ Team?
Dembele possesses the pace to beat his marker in the attacking third which makes him such a constant menace on the counter. He excels at orchestrating a yard of space for himself to get a shot in on-target and is usually a composed finisher in front of the opponent’s goal. The 24-year-old has also got the strength to hold the ball up for his teammates and is not afraid to work his socks off for his side.
However, the French marksman has struggled to be productive with his performances this season. Thus, it seems like he will benefit from seeking a move elsewhere as he looks to make a fresh start in the hopes of rediscovering his old form in the coming seasons.
Is Dembele A Good Fit For The Hammers?
David Moyes has got Michail Antonio as his first-choice forward at the London Stadium. However, Haller’s form of late has not been good enough in the injury absence of the English striker which has increased West Ham’s need for a new frontman.
With all things considered, Dembele could be a good fit for the East London club as he will add more pace and goals to Moyes’ frontline and might even serve a perfect strike partner to Antonio at the English capital in the years to come.
