Slaven Bilic saw another defeat this weekend at the hands of Everton with his team further dwindling towards the bottom of the table after a decent run of form. West Ham United’s options have largely been restricted to Simon Zaza, who hasn’t lived up to the transfer hype and Bilic is already looking to dispose him well ahead of the end of his tenure.
As per reports by Football Italia, West Ham United are ready to hand over their summer signing Simone Zaza to Serie A side Napoli and an amount of £22.5m in return for striker Manolo Gabbiadini. The 24-year old could only manage to score two domestic goals this season for Napoli but Bilic is still interested in the Italian.
Simon Zaza is at present on loan with the Hammers from Italian champions Juventus, but within his negotiated contract, the east London club will have to purchase Zaza for £17.7m should he make more than 10 appearances for the side.
With reports also floating that Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri is a great admirer of Zaza, this deal looks like a win-win situation. The deal is further made lucrative by a front fee along with the striker. After Higuaín’s departure, Napoli are signed Milik but his injury has led to toothless performances up front.
Gabbiadini has scored 1 goal in the Champions League and 1 in Serie A this season. His versatility makes him a decent attacking option up front and with players like Dmitri Payet and Lanzini to combine with, Bilic has high hopes for this Italian forward.
Standing in at 181 cm, Gabbiadini is always at advantage in aerial duels, which could prove to be useful in Premier League. His shooting prowess is well-known in Italy as well. Although the Hammers have Dmitri Payet for free kicks, who scored some stunning free kicks last season, the Italian would be an extra option considering his ability in dead-ball situations.
However, Gabbiadini is not that good a passer, which might prove to be a hindrance for him in Premier League. His defensive contribution has also been questioned at times with many stating that the striker does not fall back to defend. At West Ham, he will have seasoned strikers like Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho returning from injury soon, who are ready to replace him if he fails to impress at the first go.
West Ham United have started their season very badly gathering only 10 points in the opening 10 games which has placed them at the 17th position. Bilic is expected to heavily to beef up his team in all positions when the transfer window reopens.
