OPINION
Will West Ham eventually announce the signing of a striker this week?
For weeks on end, Manuel Pellegrini has been tracking Celta Vigo forward Maxi Gomez, and Sky Sports have reported that the Hammers have finally decided to meet the £44.85million release clause in his current deal.
With other forwards such as Andy Carroll and Marko Arnautovic leaving the club, the Chilean will no doubt want to further strengthen his options in attack.
Football Insider reported on Monday that West Ham are set to miss out on West Brom forward Salomon Rondon after the Venezuelan international has agreed terms with Chinese club Dalian Yifang, ahead of a reunion with Rafael Benitez.
West Ham are surely going to have to look elsewhere now and could regret the chance to sign the former Newcastle loanee who would have been available for just £16.5million, according to the Daily Star.
Rondon would have been a great addition at the London Stadium, having proved his worth as a lone striker at St James’ Park last season.
The 29-year-old won five aerial battles per 90 minutes on average last season [WhoScored] and excelled with smaller, more skillful players such as Ayoze Perez and Miguel Almiron around him.
His physical attributes could have been integral to players like Felipe Anderson and Pablo Fornals who like to get on the ball in dangerous areas in the final third.
With ExWHUemployee revealing the club want not one but two forwards, Rondon would have been a great addition for a cheap price – now West Ham must surely move on as the 29-year-old’s next destination seems to be outside of England.