West Ham United has pocketed a hefty £105m from the sale of Declan Rice, giving them ample funds to strengthen their squad in the remaining weeks of the transfer window, writes the FFC. However, with the new Premier League season just three weeks away, the Hammers appear to be growing desperate in their search for new recruits.
While finding a midfield replacement for Rice remains a top priority for David Moyes, the club is also in dire need of reinforcements upfront. Despite spending £35.5m on Gianluca Scamacca from Sassuolo last year, the Italian striker failed to deliver as expected in his debut season at the London Stadium.
With only Danny Ings, Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen, and Said Benrahma as attacking options, West Ham’s list of goalscorers lacks prolificity. As a result, the club has been scouting for potential striking options, with AC Milan’s Divock Origi being the latest name on their radar.
The Belgium international joined Milan on a free transfer last year after leaving Liverpool, where he became a fan favorite. However, his goal-scoring record has been underwhelming, with just 22 goals in 107 Premier League appearances for the Reds.
According to FFC, Origi’s struggles continued at the San Siro, managing only two goals and one assist in 27 league appearances for Milan. In fact, Italian journalist Alvise Cagnazzo dubbed him as Serie A’s worst signing last season.
Looking at Origi’s performance metrics over the past year, he ranks in the bottom 10% of all forwards across Europe’s top five leagues in terms of non-penalty goals per 90 minutes. Scamacca, West Ham’s current option, does not fare much better, sitting in the bottom 17% in the same category.
Comparing the two, Scamacca boasts a better goal-scoring rate than Origi (0.29 vs. 0.18 goals per 90) and excels in other important aspects of the game, including goals per shot, aerial duels won, and tackles and interceptions per 90.
Furthermore, Origi’s reported wages of £85,000 a week would be a significant financial commitment for West Ham, making the move questionable given his lackluster performances.
Rather than rushing into a deal, Moyes would be wise to explore other options and find the right striker who can truly bolster West Ham’s attack. Waiting until the last moments of the transfer window might be the better approach to secure a player who can make a meaningful impact on the team’s fortunes.