Six Hammers targets for the summer

Claret and Hugh‘s work experience student Rory Matloob has been taken a look at possible summer signings to bolster the Hammers squad and has come up with an interesting list of players.

Left back: Leif Davis

Leif Davis, currently playing for Ipswich Town, is having an exceptional season in the Championship, having registered 14 assists in 32 matches this season.

Kieran Mckenna was appointed as Ipswich boss in December 2021 and since then has taken the   club to a new level. Right now, Ipswich are sat in third place only six points off top Leicester City. With the Championship being so unpredictable, nobody will be able to predict who will be a certain Premier League outfit next summer so surely Davis will want to guarantee playing in the Premier League.

Despite how good Emerson has been for the Hammers this season, he can’t play every single week and with Aaron Creswell also coming to the end of his time at the London stadium a player of Davis’ calibre is a smart signing this summer.

Six Hammers targets for the summer

Centre back: Lloyd Kelly

Since making his Bournemouth debut in September 2019 the Bristol born defender has been showing his versatility across the back line. His favoured position is certainly centre back but has  never shied away from showing his capabilities at left back.

Unfortunately for the English defender he has missed 11 Premier League matches this season through injury. However when he has played, he’s helped Bournemouth pick up some big points . Back in March 2023 his former coach Gary O’Neill labelled him as a ‘fantastic’ defender. Kelly is also only 25 so he still has at least a solid seven years competing at the top level.

Centre back: Max Kilman

Max Kilman made his debut for Wolves in May 2019 in a 1-0 home win against Fulham, this made him  the Englishmen the first player to go directly from Non-league to the Premier League with no loans in between since Chris Smalling at Maidstone before signing for Fulham.

This season Gary O’Neil has ensured Wolves have tightened up at the back with Kilman has been alongside Craig Dawson and Toti Gomes,  helping Wolves to five clean sheets this season.

With the rumours of Aguerd being shipped away from the London Stadium after struggling for form this season, Kilman would certainly be a great signing for the Hammers. The only issue is how much the defender is going to cost the club.

Striker: Tammy Abraham

Tammy Abraham left boyhood club Chelsea back in 2021 for Roma as he looked to play week in week out to help progress his career. Since leaving he helped Roma pick up their first piece of silverware in fourteen years after beating Feyenoord in the Europa Conference League final. Along the way Abraham helped himself to nine goals in thirteen appearances.

A risk with the potential signing of Abraham is he has been side lined since 4^th June 2023 after suffering an ACL tear in his left knee, however Abraham’s goal record in football is some of which only many players can . In 373 appearances Abraham has recorded 161 goals and 44 assists, and at just 26 years of age Abraham still has a lot left to give in English football.

Striker: Eddie Nketiah

Eddie Nketiah has been at Arsenal since the age of 16 but is it now time for him to leave the Gunners? Out of the 2340 minutes that have been available in the Premier League this season, Nketiah has only featured in 1045 minutes this season.

Since breaking through at Arsenal, Nketiah has always had to play second fiddle, this season it’s been clear to see Gabriel Jesus is Mikel Arteta’s starting striker But since the Brazilian’s injury, Leandro Trossard has played as the number nine, forcing Nketiah even further down the pecking order.

With Michail Antonio approaching 34 this month and Nketiah only 24 this would be a great replacement for the Hammers as Nketiah looks to finally play week-in-week-out. As the Gunners already have lots of depth in that position Arsenal should be willing to sell the player for around £30 million.

Winger: Jack Clarke

Jack Clarke has been electric for Sunderland this season in the Championship and has currently registered 15 goals and 4 assists. The 23-year-old has just had to face a knock-back with him now being ruled out for six weeks with an ankle ligament injury.

The forward was signed by Spurs in 2019 for £10 million but was never given an opportunity in North London. Now 23 years old the winger is most certainly ready to play Premier League football. With Sunderland currently sat in 10^th position, 8 points off the play-offs it looks very unlikely Sunderland will be playing Premier League football next season.

With Pablo Fornals already leaving for Real Betis this winter and Said Benrahma most likely to leave permanently the club this summer Jack Clarke would be a solid replacement. With him being Sunderland’s biggest asset, the winger won’t come cheap, a £40 million fee should prize him away from the Stadium of Light.