OPINION
As the Premier League season hurtles towards the January transfer window, every single side in the division will be assessing possible weaknesses and seeking new players to address those.
In West Ham’s case, the club will likely be looking to address two main problems: left-back and striker.
Ignoring their left-back issue for now, the Hammers will no doubt be on the lookout for another forward in the January window amid some major concerns over their current personnel.
Star man Marko Arnautovic is struggling with a chronic knee injury, Andy Carroll is only just returning from another long-term lay-off, Javier Hernandez is suffering with glandular fever, while Lucas Perez has failed to impress since his summer arrival.
While the Hammers will inevitably have been doing their own scouting for another striker, according to a recent report they have been offered an interesting opportunity which they should jump on.
As reported by Football Insider, former striker Jermain Defoe has contacted the club over a potential return in the January window.
The Bournemouth forward has been struggling for game time so far this season and is keen on a return to east London, where he began his career.
While there will be many fans not so keen on this happening because of Defoe’s two long spells at rivals Tottenham, the club would be silly to pass up this opportunity.
Despite the fact that Defoe is now 36 years old, the striker is still in tip-top shape, and is still a goal machine.
There are few better goalscorers in the history of the Premier League than Defoe, and a return to the club would be a move which makes sense for all.
Obviously Defoe would not be an automatic starter at the London Stadium, but his impact from the bench would be far greater than that of Perez or Hernandez.
His contract at Bournemouth still has two years to run but he would surely not cost a lot of money at all, which is a bonus for the club considering their heavy spending in the summer.
And, in order to mitigate for the risks of such a move, the club could simply offer him a short-term rolling deal which would incentivise him to perform.
All in all this is a move which makes sense, and one which the club should jump on as soon as possible.
