In a recent report, Goal.com has revealed that West Ham United are monitoring the situation of Shandong Luneng Taishan forward Graziano Pelle. It is believed that the Hammers could face fierce competition from Juventus in the race to acquire the services of the Italian striker during the January transfer window (via Goal.com).
Pelle’s Outstanding Record In The Chinese Super League
Pelle has been one of the top performers in the Chinese Super League since arriving from Southampton back in 2016. The 35-year-old has banged in 63 goals and provided 24 assists in 132 matches for SD Luneng thus far across all competitions.
The Italian striker gave a good account of himself in 2019 when he was averaging 3.4 shots, 1.7 key passes and 0.4 dribbles per game in the Chinese Super League, but his ball-distribution has some room for improvement after he made only 74.9% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
The former Southampton marksman can still be prolific in terms of his goal-scoring and is still one of the best headers of the ball in world football. With Pelle’s current deal set to expire at the end of this calendar year, the Hammers would be wise to offer him a chance to return to English football where he once enjoyed a fruitful spell during his time with the Saints.
What Will The Italian Centre-Forward Bring To The Table?
Pelle has lost a yard of pace from his game and can be quite a static forward at times due to his low work-rate up top. However, that doesn’t stop him from being a consistent goal-getter in front of the opponent’s goal. Standing at 1.94m, the Italian frontman can be a towering presence inside the opposition penalty area and can score his fair share of goals via headers. However, at 35, he won’t add long-term value to David Moyes’ squad if the West Ham manager decides to bring him back to the Premier League before the end of this transfer window.
Will Pelle Be A Good Fit For The Hammers?
At the moment, Michail Antonio remains the East London outfit’s preferred choice to lead the line in the final third week in week out. Sebastien Haller has done well to fill in during the English striker’s absence. However, Moyes can benefit from getting someone of Pelle’s skill set as he would provide some healthy competition for both Antonio and Haller at the London Stadium in the coming seasons.
The Italian veteran has got a wealth of experience of playing at the highest level and could prove to be a good fit for West Ham in the short-term. Hence, Moyes should consider launching a bid for him if he intends to bolster the overall depth of his squad ahead of the second half of this Premier League campaign.
