West Ham backed to seal last-minute striker signing after Moyes confession – pundit
Danny Mills has backed West Ham to pull off a last-minute striker signing ahead of next week’s transfer deadline.
The ex-Leeds defender, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the Irons need backup for Michail Antonio this season.
As quoted by the London Evening Standard yesterday (August 27th), Hammers boss David Moyes said he was “desperate” to sign a forward.
However, the ex-Everton boss conceded that there was “a really good chance” that a deal for a forward will not materialise.
That would mean West Ham enter the season with just one recognised centre-forward in Michail Antonio.
The striker has been in inspired form in the first two top-flight games of this term.
He has scored three and provided two.
Mills lavished praise on the 31-year-old but warned that the striker’s energy levels may diminish over the season.
“Antonio is brilliant,” he told Football Insider‘s Connor Whitley.
“He has had one or two fitness issues, but that’s because he works his socks off.
“His energy levels will be so hard to maintain throughout an entire season, especially as they’ve got the Europa League now as well.
“I’m sure if they can get someone in, that will be a very good move, and I can see it happening.
“Even if it’s backup, they should play a decent number of games.”
Jarrod Bowen, Said Benrahma and Andriy Yarmolenko have all featured as makeshift strikers in recent months.
Antonio missed 13 games through injury last term.
The East London side’s schedule this season is not likely to do any good for the striker’s persistent injury problems.
West Ham will compete on four fronts this season after qualifying to the Europa League group stage with a sixth-place league finish.
In other news, this Arsenal starlet is headed out on loan.