OPINION
West Ham United are not finished with their transfer business this summer despite an outlay of over £80million so far, with Manuel Pellegrini on the hunt for a new striker following Andy Carroll’s injury setback.
The Hammers have been linked with moves for several forwards so far, including Porto striker Moussa Marega and several options from South America, but are yet to make a concrete move for anyone.
Ideally the club will be able to bring in a striker who knows the Premier League well, someone who can hit the ground running with the start of the season now just 11 days away.
And, according to a report from France, there is just the man for the job available for a reasonable fee this summer.
As reported by L’Equipe, Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud could be sold for just £13.3million just six months after joining from Arsenal, with the 31-year-old having held talks with Marseille in recent days.
The Daily Mail report that Giroud is in fact looking to remain at Stamford Bridge this summer to fight for his place, but with a £53million swoop for Gonzalo Higuian in the offing, his chances of playing much next season could be slim.
West Ham could offer him the chance to rebuild his career at the London Stadium, with a partnership between him and Marko Arnautovic sure to be a dangerous prospect for any Premier League side.
The addition of Giroud would turn West Ham into serious contenders for a European place next season, with his experience, goal threat and hold-up play vastly improving their attacking power.
The strikers that Pellegrini has reportedly been looking to bring in would all take time to settle at the London Stadium, and Giroud is quite clearly a superior option.
If the World Cup winner is actually available for such a price this summer, or even if the real price tag was around the £15million mark, this is a move which West Ham should definitely be looking to make in the coming days.
