West Ham striker Sebastien Haller is reportedly edging towards the London Stadium exit as the 26-year-old looks to end what has turned out to be a disappointing spell with the Hammers.
The powerful Ivorian arrived on a club-record £45m fee in 2019 but, aside from the occasional spectacular goal, he has largely failed to live up to the hype and could now be set to head to Ajax.
David Moyes is unlikely to have sanctioned the sale without a replacement being lined up and the Irons have been linked with a plethora of names already this month.
We have run the rule over the potential candidates to succeed Haller at West Ham…
Josh King
Perhaps the most widely linked replacement for Haller, with rumours dating back to the summer. The Norwegian international is a proven goalscorer in the Premier League and is keen to leave Bournemouth.
Current form may be off-putting but history says the 28-year-old can cut it at this level.
Marko Arnautovic
Plenty of dread around this well-trodden ground. Having left the Irons on almost the worst possible terms previously, the Austrian is perhaps a surprise candidate for a second coming.
However, there is speculation linking him with a Hammers return and he could come back with a point to prove and plenty of ill-feeling to quell.
Adam Hlozek
Very much an unproven talent at 18 but the young Czech star is hot property and, with the endorsement of Tomas Soucek, the Slavia Prague teenager could soon be an Irons favourite.
Moussa Dembele
Another long-time suitor, the Frenchman certainly has a goalscoring record worthy of a move but the Lyon man’s £36m valuation could prove to be a major spanner in the works.
Lassina Traore
The most recently-linked of this quintet with a move to West Ham, a deal for the 19-year-old Ajax prodigy certainly becomes more viable with Haller heading the other way.
It is early days in his career but the signs of a star in the making have been apparent.
READ WEST HAM VERDICT
Ultimately the Hammers needed a readymade striker before Haller’s departure was even on the table. The substantial hole left by Michail Antonio’s ongoing injuries has left Moyes bereft of centre-forward depth all too often.
These five names prove that options are out there, with the likes of Graziano Pelle not even being included.
Thanks largely to Moyes, the club are on a far more assured footing this season and should have their sights set a little higher than simply avoiding relegation, so their transfer ambitions should be adjusted accordingly.
