In a recent report, L’Arena (via Tutto Hellas Verona) mentioned that West Ham United are eyeing a move for Hellas Verona forward Giovanni Simeone, who is currently playing on loan from Cagliari Calcio. It has been claimed that the Hammers are hoping to acquire the services of the Argentine centre-forward along with his club teammate, Antonín Barák.
Simeone’s Excellent Numbers In Italian Football
Simeone has impressed a lot with his performances as the focal point of the Hellas Verona attack during this campaign so far. The 26-year-old has banged in nine goals and picked up three assists in 12 appearances for the Italian outfit this season across all fronts.
The five-time Argentina international has proven his worth as a prolific goal-getter by averaging 1.6 shots and 0.8 key passes per 90 minutes in Serie A. He has also won 1.7 aerial duels per game but needs to improve his ball distribution after completing 75.4% of his attempted passes in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
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What Will Simeone Add To West Ham United Head Coach David Moyes’ Team?
Simeone is a quick and agile forward but doesn’t make too many runs in behind the opponent’s backline. However, he is proficient at finishing off chances in the final third and can even create some decent plays for his teammates in and around the opposition penalty box. Simeone has got a good leap in him that helps him win a few aerial duels at both ends of the field.
The Argentine marksman has already begun to justify his worth as a reliable goal-scorer in Italian football. But there are some concerns over whether he would be able to make a smooth transition to life in the Premier League if West Ham manage to seal a move for him in the future.
Currently, the Hammers are in need of a top striker to sustain their top-four push in the English top-flight. We can expect Simeone to add a lot of goals and some creativity to David Moyes‘ frontline. More importantly, he would offer some much-needed cover for Michail Antonio and could even go on to form a lethal attacking partnership with the English centre-forward at the London Stadium in the coming seasons.
