Premier League

Smith: Haller can transform West Ham

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Alan Smith claimed that West Ham summer signing Sebastien Haller will transform the Hammers if he shows the form he did in Germany.

The Sky Sports pundit gave Manuel Pellegrini’s side an A- for the transfer business they got done in the summer, and focused on Haller when revealing why he had been so impressed.

Smith stated that while there was a lot of talent in the Hammers’ squad, Haller is the one who could make a huge difference by being successful.

“With Marko Arnautovic and Lucas Perez leaving, Sebastien Haller is the one and if he shows the form he did in Germany, I think he will transform the side,” wrote Smith in an article for Sky Sports.

“There is lots of talent in that squad, but it would make a huge difference if he could be a success. And if Haller is, then it will have been a great window.”

OPINION

West Ham signed Pablo Fornals, Roberto, David Martin, Albian Ajeti and Goncalo Cardoso as well as Haller this window, but Smith only had eyes for the Frenchman. It’s easy to see why the pundit is heaping the pressure on Haller as after losing Marko Arnautovic, Pellegrini needs Haller to fill the void left by the forward who was the Hammers’ top scorer in their 2018/19 campaign. It’s also fair to say that Smith is right to claim Haller can make a huge difference and transform the club for the better if he simply is able to show the form he has in his recent spell at Eintracht Frankfurt. The 25-year-old scored 33 goals in 77 outings across a two-year spell in Germany and in his 2018/19 campaign, only Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski was directly involved in more goals than the Frenchman in the Bundesliga last season (Source: BBC). Haller scored 20 for himself in his latest campaign, while racking up 12 assists, and if he got anywhere close to those numbers, perhaps the Hammers could dream of being within touching distance of the top-six.

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