OPINION
Many West Ham fans will surely feel confident about their club’s search for a striker after hearing the brief chat Simon Jordan had with Hammers co-owner David Sullivan.
Claret & Hugh reported in June that the Hammers’ main priority in the time that remained in the summer transfer window was signing a new attacker as Manuel Pellegrini was aiming to replace Lucas Perez and Andy Carroll.
However, since then, the Hammers’ hunt for a new forward has become even more vital.
The Hammers haven’t just waved goodbye to Perez and Carroll anymore, but they bid farewell to their 2018/19 season top-scorer Marko Arnautovic.
West Ham previously confirmed, via their official website, that Arnautovic had completed his move from the Hammers to the Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG and this leaves them short up front.
Arnautovic scored 11 goals in his 2018/19 campaign and averaged a goal every 184 minutes (Source: BBC), so for the Hammers to have a realistic chance of success he needs to be replaced.
It looked as if Celta Vigo forward Maxi Gomez would be the man signed to replace the Austrian as he was constantly linked, but the Guardian recently reported he was expected to be heading to Valencia instead.
So as a result, many West Ham fans are likely panicking about the club’s hunt for a forward as time is ticking down on the transfer window and they’ve already seemingly failed in one pursuit at least.
However, Jordan, who used to be the chairman of Crystal Palace, shared he bumped into West Ham co-owner Sullivan recently but that the Hammers man had to dash quickly as he was busy trying to get a centre-forward signed.
“In the past David Sullivan and David Gold have made statements that they haven’t backed up with their own cash but speaking to David yesterday, what I got from him was a great sense of irritation and frustration about Marko Arnautovic and the fact he’s now got to sign a centre-forward,” said Jordan on talkSPORT, as transcribed by talkSPORT.
“We only spoke very briefly because David said, ‘I’m really busy, I’ve got to go and get a centre-forward and I’m incredibly frustrated I’ve only got a month’.”
So while some fans may be concerned by the fact Sullivan is thought to have said he is frustrated by the hunt for a new attacker, they should see that as a positive.
Sullivan clearly knows the Hammers need a forward signed desperately, otherwise he wouldn’t be frustrated, and that implies he will go all out to ensure a deal is done.
So with that in mind, Hammers fans should have faith that Sullivan is going to ensure a new attacker arrives before the window shuts.
