OPINION
From an attacking point of view, this has been a pretty arduous summer for West Ham United so far. From losing Marko Arnautovic to seemingly missing out on Maxi Gomez, it’s not been easy for the Hammers faithful.
However, there may be some light at the end of the tunnel for the team’s supporters, especially if they can beat a host of Premier League rivals to the signing of a Championship standout player.
Sky Sports reported on Saturday that Manuel Pellegrini’s side are one of a number of top flight sides interested in a move for Brentford striker Neal Maupay, who has been given some time off by the Bees due to the speculation surrounding his future.
Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion and Sheffield United have also been mentioned as being in for the 22-year-old, but West Ham are clearly the most attractive of those potential destinations.
Sky Sports claimed earlier this week that the Hammers are in negotiations to sign Eintracht Frankfurt frontman Sebastien Haller, but their reported interest in Maupay may have the club’s fans saying ‘Haller who?’
Because, while the Frenchman isn’t as proven at the highest level as his compatriot, he has put together an unbelievable resume with the Bees in recent years.
Indeed, when you compare him to the Hammers’ current first choice attacker Javier Hernandez, Maupay looks absolutely worlds apart from the veteran Mexican.
As per WhoScored, the Brentford star beat Hernandez in all but two major offensive statistical categories last season, outscoring the West Ham ace by 25 league goals to seven.
Maupay also had seven more assists than the former Manchester United man, while having far more shots and key passes per game. Clearly this is a creative player, as well as a goalscorer extraordinaire.
So while Haller is clearly the frontrunner to replace Arnautovic in east London, perhaps it would be best for the Hammers to look a little closer to home – Maupay could blow the roof off the London Stadium.
