West Ham United

Would this Spanish International fit the bill at West Ham?

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Football - Everton v Celta Vigo - Pre Season Friendly - Prenton Park - 14/15 - 6/8/14
Vigo's Nolito (L) celebrates with Fabian Orellana after scoring
Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Craig Brough

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There have been rumours in the past 24 hours that the latest striker that could be on his way to West Ham is Celta Vigo forward Nolito.

According to The Mirror, the 29 year old Spaniard is ready to move in the summer. Barcelona have been chasing Nolito since January, and Arsenal have also been linked with the forward.

Nolito could be available for around £14 million, due to his age, meaning that he is a cheaper alternative if we miss out on Michy Batshuayi or Lacazette.

So would the Spaniard fit in at The Olympic Stadium next season?

His goal record at Celta Vigo is reasonable. 37 in 96 over three seasons is respectable, but he is averaging 1 in every 2 games this season despite missing a few months with an injury. His goal scoring record has improved dramatically and he has recently been featuring for Spain, including a start against England this year.

The other aspect to take into account with Nolito, is that he isn’t predominantly an out and out striker. He has spells playing left wing, and even as a second striker so can play anywhere across the front line. His versatility would make him a useful asset for West Ham to push on next season, and he would be a sure improvement on Enner Valencia, who is currently the most versatile player in the squad.

However, Nolito’s goals to game record isn’t quite as good as some of the other targets that we have been linked with. At 5″9, he also doesn’t impose himself physically and could have some issues fitting into the Premier League straight away because of this. Predominantly, he plays in a league that suits his style of play and it would be a shock for him, but he has the attributes to be a success and for £14 million, could be a great signing for Slaven Bilic’s side.

It seems that Nolito would be a useful addition to the squad, but we would still need an out and out striker as well. It wouldn’t be enough to just sign Nolito, but the club shouldn’t hesitate if get the chance. If we sell Enner Valencia, it could cover some of the costs and would be a real statement to Arsenal and other big sides that we can attract top talent.

He is a Spanish International, who has improved dramatically in recent seasons. It would be a cracking signing if we could pull it off, but a different type of forward should still be priority for next season.

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