OPINION
If West Ham United are to fulfil their ambition of gatecrashing the Premier League’s top six they must look to secure the best young talent in world football.
It looks like they’ve done that with striker Xande Silva, and now there’s another hitman who should be on the Hammers’ radar: Sunderland’s Josh Maja.
The Daily Mirror reported on Monday that the 19-year-old could be available for just £1.5million in January, as the Black Cats look to cash in on him before his contract expires at the end of the season.
A price of £1.5million is an absolute snip for any Premier League side, and when it comes to a talent like Maja that fee looks even more enticing.
The youngster has netted 13 times in all competitions for Jack Ross’ side this campaign, building a reputation as arguably the finest teenager operating in the Football League.
A bargain move a player like Maja would make sense at the best of times, but with the uncertainty surrounding West Ham’s current attacking corps there is no time like the present for a January swoop.
At different times this term there has been speculation about the futures of Marko Arnautovic, Javier Hernandez and Andy Carroll, and their exits would leave the cupboard bare at the London Stadium.
Maja would alleviate that problem for manager Manuel Pellegrini, and would enable the club to make a considered decision about those three players knowing that they have a supremely talented frontman already in their grasp.
For a teenager to score 13 goals in the first few months of the season, no matter that it’s at League One level, is a phenomenal achievement, and there’s no surprise that the Mirror’s report states that Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton are monitoring the situation.
The Hammers can jump the queue, though, by pointing out the progress that young players have made in East London this term. Declan Rice and Grady Diangana have both made terrific strides under Pellegrini this season.
By making that clear to Maja they can convince the attacker that West Ham is the best next step in his development. If they succeed, the Hammers could be rubbing shoulders with the top six sooner than expected.
