After a string of failed attempts to sign a star striker, Slaven Bilic and West Ham should turn their attention to the 22-year-old Arkadiusz Milik of Poland.
Milik scored 21 goals and added seven assists last season for Ajax in 31 Eredivisie appearances. The 6’2” striker also scored twice and had two assists in Ajax’s ten-game Europa League campaign.
Milik became Poland’s youngest ever scorer at the Euro’s with his game-winning goal against Northern Ireland on Sunday. Milik has partnered well with fellow Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, a player Milik has been compared to.
The goal could be enough to catch the eye of Bilic, who is scouting at the Euros.
Bilic said:
We aren’t going to judge the players just based on their performances at the European Championships, but it will definitely help. It will help us to make our decision and there are definitely a few of them that we will have a detailed look at during the Euros. We tried to do some business before the Euros, but it was impossible; it didn’t happen.
At only 22 years of age, Milik is a prolific striker already. Milik was the third leading scorer in the Dutch League, behind Luuk de Jong and Spurs target Vincent Janssen.
With little success bringing in a striker, two of West Ham’s current strikers are pushing for a transfer.
Enner Valencia is currently leading Ecuador’s front line in Copa America, yet had time to admit that he is interested in a move to the Spanish La Liga. “Of course I would love to be in one of the best leagues in the world,” Valencia said.
Diafra Sakho has reportedly turned in a transfer request as well. Sunderland have submitted a new £12m bid for Sakho. An £11m offer was turned down last month by West Ham.
Bilic must find a way to keep Sakho and Valencia, or put pen to paper with some of the Hammers’ striker targets soon.
West Ham have submitted a £32m offer for Alexandre Lacazette, which Lyon are considering. West Ham’s previous attempts were turned down for the 25-year old.
West Ham’s approaches to Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi appear to have ended poorly, with the player turning down the £80,000-a-week contract offer made by the Hammers.
The Hammers’ negotiations with AC Milan’s Carlos Bacca were unsuccessful, and now the Colombian striker appears set to sign for PSG. West Ham have now turned their attention towards another AC Milan striker, M’Baye Niang. AC Milan are set to accept West Ham’s €18M bid, looking to move the 21-year-old after struggling with injuries and off the field incidents.
West Ham will look to sign two strikers before next season gets underway, and Milik should be one of them.
Milik may not be the world-class striker West Ham envisioned, but the 22-year-old can become one at West Ham, and the Hammers should pursue his signature. Roma are said to be in for the striker, so West Ham must act quickly to avoid missing out on a top player for years to come.
