---
title: "European football expert warns West Ham about Mariano Diaz"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2021/01/11/mariano-diaz-transfer-warning-lars-siversten-haller/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2021-01-11T13:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-01-11T13:00:00Z"
---

# European football expert warns West Ham about Mariano Diaz

European football expert [Lars Sivertsen](https://twitter.com/larssivertsen?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) has warned of an all-too-familiar story at [West Ham](https://readwestham.com/2021/01/11/west-ham-predicted-xi-stockport-county-fa-cup/) should they sign rumoured January target [Mariano Diaz](https://readwestham.com/2020/11/23/west-ham-offered-mariano-diaz-real-madrid/).

The Hammers are on the lookout for a new striker after they sold[Sebastien Haller](https://readwestham.com/2021/01/08/darren-bent-west-ham-already-have-haller-replacement/) to Ajax last week, and according to a recent report in the [Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9130437/West-Ham-exploring-loan-deal-favour-Real-Madrid-attacker-Mariano-Diaz.html), Diaz is in the frame.

Sivertsen told [talkSPORT’s *Trans Europe Express*](https://talksport.com/football/815666/) show that the Real Madrid ace would struggle in the same way Haller did at the London Stadium, saying: ”I do wonder about sending him into a West Ham team who are quite reactive and like to sit off teams and hit them on the counter. As a lone striker you are often quite lonely indeed, and I do wonder if he will run into the same problems that Sebastien Haller had there.”

The Norweigan journalist did highlight the 27-year-old’s [finishing and aerial abilities](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/323236/Show/Mariano) – attributes which came to the fore during a [successful loan spell](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mariano-diaz/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/225020/verein/1041) at Lyon.

However, after cutting ties with one inconsistent striker in Haller who [failed to adapt](https://www.football.london/west-ham-united-fc/players/sebastien-haller-plenty-prove-west-19207780) to David Moyes’ style of play, the Irons boss would perhaps be wise to heed the dissenting voices around the [Dominican Republic international](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mariano-diaz/nationalmannschaft/spieler/225020/verein_id/15232).

### READ WEST HAM VERDICT

Signing a striker must be seen as a non-negotiable for West Ham after allowing Haller to leave. Moyes was already [short on options in terms of centre-fowards](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/west-ham-united/kadernachposition/verein/379) and [history tells us](https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/west-ham-michail-antonio-injury-latest-david-moyes-crystal-palace-b323798.html) that Michail Antonio’s hamstrings unfortunately can’t be relied upon.

Whilst Sivertsen is merely pre-empting a potential pitfall, after shelling out a [club-record fee on Haller](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/west-ham-united/transferrekorde/verein/379), the Hammers board are likely to be once bitten, twice shy, and other possible avenues may have to be explored.

Following his £20.5m ([BBC](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55576847)) switch to the Eredivisie from the London Stadium, Haller got off to a flying start when he came off the bench to [assist Ajax’s equaliser](https://www.flashscore.co.uk/match/zkPQmLBU/#match-summary) against PSV on the weekend.