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Free signing striker scenario looks a non starter

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Yarmo may be an emergency cover option

West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini looks 100 per cent to not be signing any free agent as cover for injuries to either of his strikers Seb Haller or Albian Ajeti.

For of the many players in the situation this season only Wilfried Bony – currently being linked with the Brighton and Hove Albion – has Premier League experience as shown by https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/statistik/vertragslosespieler.

The manager presumably looked through the list of players available in such an event given the injury to Michail Antonio and will surely have been as unimpressed as most of us.

Other striker are available but most are of advancing years with little or no pedigree at the level required and with youngster Xande Silva still recovering from surgery, Haller and Ajeti’s continuing fitness is key.

However, should an emergency arise the most likely scenario would probably be for Andriy Yarmolenko to take over through the middle.

The Ukranian has scored 105 goals in 221 games, 99 of which came during his time with Dynamo Kiev.

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

4 comments

  • Hamptonese says:

    Read today that Okazaki is available after Malaga cancelled his contract. Worth a punt in the short term?

    • JRS says:

      Yea I saw that was surprised I always like Okazki he has a great work rate puts in defensive shift not the biggest scorer but works hard for others to score but 33 now been while since played regularly.
      I wouldn’t be against if Pellegrini wanted to bring in for a year, wagws be low & know he would work hard.

  • Brian says:

    Okazaki? Malaga is my nearest club, so a big no thanks from me

  • mooro66uk says:

    Thought Lorente was free or has someone snapped him up?

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