West Ham United are facing fierce competition from Fulham in the race to sign a Premier League striker before deadline day…
What’s the latest West Ham transfer news?
The Irons and the Cottagers are in the market for a new frontman, having lost Gianluca Scamacca and Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer, and both clubs have identified Dominic Solanke as a possible option.
According to Football Insider, West Ham have submitted an offer believed to be around £40m as they look to reinforce their attacking options.
Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…
However, the report also said Fulham have a ‘concrete’ interest in Solanke, but the west Londoners are reluctant to match their city rival's bid and are only willing to table around £30m.
This puts David Moyes’ side in pole position, but a deal is far from finished as AFC Bournemouth are yet to accept any proposals.
Would Dominic Solanke be a good signing for West Ham?
Solanke’s decision to join the Cherries in 2019 has worked out beautifully, as he has evolved from being a sporadic second-tier scorer into a consistent top-flight threat.
In the 2021/22 season, the forward was an indispensable component of the Scott Parker side which clinched promotion back to the Premier League – he started every Championship game and was the division’s second-highest scorer with 29 goals.
As is the case with any free-scoring Championship striker, there is always an overhanging question mark of whether they will be effective in the top flight.
But, Solanke has demonstrated that he is a useful, dogged, and effervescent attacking force in the Premier League.
Last term, he netted six times and crafted seven assists, often tasked with dropping deep to link play and lead an aggressive press.
His former manager Gary O’Neil recognised the £50k-per-week dynamo's invaluable contribution to the team and said:
“Dom works his socks off for me. People that maybe don’t know, could underestimate how big Dom is for this group. Absolutely massive. I couldn’t ask for a better number nine to go and face the challenges that we’re faced with.”
The 40-year-old has extended his praise, hailing Solanke as a “dream as a centre-forward.”
A workhorse frontman of this impressive profile could forge a devastating partnership with Lucas Paqueta, who now looks set to stay in the English capital.
The Brazilian is currently being investigated by the FA for potential betting breaches, casting serious doubt over his proposed transfer to Manchester City. It was understood that the reigning European champions were close to reaching an agreement with the playmaker before the allegations surfaced.
Nevertheless, Paqueta hasn’t let this disruption affect his West Ham form, and he was a pivotal part of a 3-1 victory over Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.
The technician’s trickery and energy were a constant nuisance for Mauricio Pochettino’s men, and he rounded off the game with an injury-time penalty.
Similarly to Solanke, the 5 foot 11 artist has amassed a formidable reputation for his athleticism and work rate. This is mirrored by his rank within the top 5% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for tackles, blocks, clearances, and aerials won per 90.
The possibility of these attackers lining up together is a mouth-watering prospect and is an avenue that the West Ham hierarchy should continue exploring.
