There’s just over a month until the January transfer window opens for business, and West Ham United need to bring in a quality front man as soon as practicable.

The Irons have spread the goals around this season but it’s noticeable that their strikers haven’t been at the races where finding the net in 2023/24 is concerned.

David Moyes appeared to try once before to just go with what he had, rather than spending money for the sake of it and, as luck would have it, he seemed to get away with it. Not anymore.

If the Scot wants the Hammers up towards the top of the Premier League and challenging for honours, then a striker purchase in January is an absolutely necessity.

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Not just any striker either, but one who is a guarantee of goals.

Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke might not be a household name as such, but he does have seven goals and one assist in 13 games in all competitions this season, per WhoScored, which is an impressive return in a team that’s struggling badly under Andoni Iraola.

You’d imagine that the Cherries would fight tooth and nail to keep a player with that sort of output, but it seems as though they won’t have to.

As Sky Sports report, Iraola has been quoted as saying that “he’s happy here,” in relation to the question from a reporter to the Bournemouth manager about Solanke’s links with West Ham.

That’s sure to disappoint the east Londoners who’ll likely have to look elsewhere for their new front man.

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West Ham forward Michail Antonio could now reportedly be out for up to nine months, after suffering a knee injury on international duty.

According to the Telegraph, Antonio suffered an injury in Jamaica’s clash with Canada in a CONCACAF Nations League game.

He supposedly played on for 10 minutes after sustaining the injury, with West Ham reportedly “furious” that he continued.

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Antonio has already made 14 appearances for the Hammers this campaign, scoring two goals, providing two assists and totalling 884 minutes of football.

Both of his goals came at the start of the season in important games, helping his side to wins against Chelsea and Brighton early in the campaign.

West Ham currently sit 9th in the Premier League on 17 points, winning five, drawing two and losing five of their opening 12 fixtures.

An injury to Antonio could lead to opportunities for the likes of Danny Ings and Divin Mubama upfront, however Jarrod Bowen has also been used as a centre forward as of late.

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Legendary forward Samuel Eto’o is poised for a meeting with West Ham’s striker target Hugo Ekitike, and this encounter could prove to be a significant turning point for the club, per Sports Zone.

The need for a striker at West Ham has become increasingly evident, especially with Michail Antonio’s recent struggles and injury. David Moyes has experimented with Jarrod Bowen as a striker, but the results have been mixed, emphasising the missed opportunity to replace Gianluca Scamacca.

The looming absence of key players like Mohammed Kudus, Said Benrahma, Maxwel Cornet, and Nayef Aguerd due to AFCON adds urgency to West Ham’s search for attacking reinforcements. Ekitike has been linked with the Hammers by Foot Mercato in a recent report.

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Ekitike has registered a nine-minute substitute appearance in Ligue 1 this season, and that’s all, highlighting the 21-year-old being massively out of favour at Paris Saint-Germain. Which will please the Hammers as the January transfer window edges closer to opening.

In his previous appearances the striker has demonstrated his ability to offer variation at the top of the pitch, using his athleticism to chase balls in behind defences, similar to Antonio. And, he uses his technical ability to drop into pockets in front of the opposition back line and get involved in the chance creation phase.

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Michail Antonio was forced off with a suspected hamstring injury while playing for Jamacia on Saturday.

The West Ham striker has been a crucial component in David Moyes’ side so far this season as they attempt to juggle both European and domestic football.

But in what could be a damaging blow to their season, Antonio was spotted limping down the tunnel after being substituted during Jamacia’s CONCACAF Nations League game against Canada.

Not good news for Jamaica and West Ham as Michail Antonio leaves the pitch early #reggaeboyz pic.twitter.com/NwLLp29XcI

— MG Sports Media (@MilitaryGooner) November 18, 2023

The severity of the injury has yet to be confirmed but West Ham fans will be hoping it’s not anything serious as they approach the demanding Christmas period.

Otherwise, Moyes will have to turn to backup striker Danny Ings to come and do a job up front while Antonio recovers.

There is also the option of deploying summer signing Mohammed Kudus up front as he has played in that position for Ajax.

The Hammers face Burnley away immediately after the international break as they look to close the distance on Brighton who are just two points ahead in eighth place.

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West Ham United are reportedly fed up with Michail Antonio and are actively looking to move him on.

That’s according to recent reports, which claim David Moyes has had enough of the misfiring striker and will look to replace him in the coming transfer windows.

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Antonio, 33, has featured in nearly 900 minutes of action already this season, but with just two goals from 14 games to his name, across all competitions, the less said about the 33-year-old’s woes in front of goal, the better.

And amid the striker’s links to clubs in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League, this season is shaping up to be the Jamacia international’s last in East London.

Since joining the Hammers from Nottingham Forest in 2015, Antonio, who has two years left on his contract, has scored 77 goals in 290 games in all competitions.

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Michail Antonio has broken his silence on the incident which saw him and Said Benrahma confuse each other during West Ham United’s defeat to Brentford last weekend.

The Hammers lost to Thomas Frank’s Bees 3-2 but the result could have been a lot different had Antonio not have got in Benrahma’s way – preventing what would have been an easy tap-in.

And now the Hammers’ number nine has opened up on the frustrating moment.

“I would give my whole year’s wage to score a goal right now,” he said.

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“I don’t know what it is but there’s some type of voodoo or something blocking me in front of goal because it’s just not happening. When I look back at it, I possibly should have left it for him [Benrahma] because obviously I’m stretching and he’s just there, on his right foot. But the man’s got to shout. Man’s gotta shout. There was no call, he was just there and obviously we’ve just clashed into each other as I’m trying to score, so he’s got to shout and let me know that he’s there in a better position.

“To be honest, I don’t know if I would leave it anyway. Even if he was screaming in my ear, I don’t know if I would’ve left it. I’m a number nine, I ain’t scored in three months, open goal, I don’t know. I’m devastated. I didn’t sleep a wink that night, it gave me nightmares I’m not gonna lie. The worst thing about it is I have been praying to God to get an opportunity, then it came and it just didn’t come off.”

The post “I am devastated” – West Ham starter now admits concern with his situation appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Jacob Steinberg has been highly critical of Michail Antonio’s recent performances and believes that the West Ham striker cannot complain if he’s dropped in an upcoming match against Nottingham Forest

Antonio has struggled to find the back of the net since late August and has only managed two goals in 11 Premier League appearances this season.

Steinberg described Antonio’s recent performances as “dire” and suggested that West Ham manager David Moyes should consider alternatives.

One option could be playing Jarrod Bowen as a central striker, as he performed well in this role during West Ham’s recent Carabao Cup win against Arsenal.

He claimed that Antonio’s underwhelming performance, including a missed open goal in the defeat to Brentford, puts him under pressure to improve his form.

Steinberg further implied that Antonio’s outspokenness off the pitch should be matched by his performances on it.

He said (via The Guardian):

With no goal in any competition since 26 August, Michail Antonio has been making more of an impact with comments on the Footballer’s Football Podcast than on the pitch.

Never shy of voicing his opinion, it seems the striker is not worried about ruffling feathers. But it goes two ways.

Antonio’s recent performances for West Ham have been dire and he cannot complain if he is on the bench against Nottingham Forest.

David Moyes, whose side have won one in their last seven league games, has alternatives.

West Ham may look more fluid if Lucas Paquetá starts at No 10 on his return from suspension, Mohammed Kudus plays on the right and the versatile Jarrod Bowen moves up front.

Bowen shone as a roving central striker during West Ham’s win over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup and he linked well with Kudus against Brentford last week.

Antonio, who missed an open goal during the 3-2 defeat by the Bees, is under pressure to raise his level. 

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Antonio will be under pressure as reports claim that West Ham will be looking for strikers in the upcoming transfer windows, with the likes of Santiago Gimenez and Kelechi Iheanacho linked with a move.

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David Moyes has admitted Michail Antonio is not happy whenever he doesn’t make West Ham’s matchday team.

The Hammers’ need for a new striker has been on display for several seasons.

Gianluca Scamacca, who joined West Ham from Sassuolo 18 months ago, did not work out at all. The Italian returned to Serie A and signed for Atalanta in the summer.

There were also huge question marks over the capture of Sebastian Haller, who, like Scamacca flattered to deceive, before moving to Dortmund and reigniting his career.

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Once again left to rely on Antonio, who has been in poor form, West Ham fans are beginning to get frustrated with Moyes’ seemingly unwillingness to address the team’s biggest weakness.

And speaking during his pre-match press conference, Moyes, who is preparing to take on Nottingham Forest on Sunday, said: “Micky [Michail Antomio] has got competition, he has always had that.

“We need Mick to score goals. He started the season really well but we need him to score. If you’re going to be a No9 you need those goals.

“All players who don’t get in the team can look like (they are unhappy) but you hope they fight, compete for their position, get their form back, get into goalscoring form.

“That’s what we want (from Antonio). He has been part of a team and has a been a hugely important member.”

During his eight years at West Ham, Antonio, who has up to 18 months left on his contract, has directly contributed to 122 goals in 289 games in all competitions.

The post David Moyes finally admits West Ham striker is not happy appeared first on CaughtOffside.

West Ham remain top of the Group A table ahead of their Europa League tie against Olympiacos and, unlike in the first match between the teams, David Moyes is taking no chances with his team selection.

The Scot opted to rotate a few players last time out, and it came back to bite him as the Hammers lost in Greece.

Though Thursday night’s match at the London Stadium isn’t necessarily a ‘must win,’ getting all three points will keep them in the box seat with two games left to play in the group stage.

Both main strikers, Danny Ings and Michail Antonio, have been left on the bench, with Jarrod Bowen again leading the line for the east Londoners.

Line-up locked in ? pic.twitter.com/BI8KOle9x2

— West Ham United (@WestHam) November 9, 2023

It’s becoming a feature for the Irons and could spell the end of Antonio’s and Ings’ Hammers careers.

With Said Benrahma, Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus all starting too, it appears that Moyes has gone with all-out attack.

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James Ward-Prowse will supply the bullets whilst Edson Alvarez will station himself in front of a back four that sees Dinos Mavropanos making another appearance.

Nayef Aguerd, Emerson, Vladimir Coufal and keeper, Lukasz Fabianski make up a strong starting XI and one that is perfectly capable of getting the win required on the night if each player sticks to their task.

The post West Ham team news: Bowen up front again as Moyes goes with all out attack against Olympiacos appeared first on CaughtOffside.

West Ham’s two main strikers have scored only two goals between them in the Premier League this season, so it’s completely understandable why David Moyes might be considering placing Jarrod Bowen up front for the next few games at least.

The England international just can’t stop scoring, even from a wide berth, and playing with his confidence so high will surely benefit the Hammers.

If Moyes is looking for another player who knows where the net is, the club already have one in the form of exciting youngster, Divin Mubama, but it appears that they’ve lost their chance to help make him a Premier League star.

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Carlton Palmer expects Leicester City player to leave the club in summer

Nov 24 2023, 11:30

Major Leicester player to move on after his contract expires next summer

Nov 24 2023, 11:26

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Nov 24 2023, 11:22

Just 19 years of age, he’s been handed only 25 minutes of first-team action this season per WhoScored, and none of those have come in the English top-flight.

That’s meant that he’s continued to turn down the overtures from the club who clearly want to keep him.

Instead, with his contract set to run out next summer, Watford appear to be offering him a way out in January according to Claret and Hugh.

The Hammers will need to sell in the winter window otherwise they run the risk of losing the player for absolutely nothing at the end of the season.

It’s a decision that indicates just how poor the recruitment and retaining of players is and has been at the club.

The post West Ham striker problems continue with ace set to leave in January appeared first on CaughtOffside.