Finally a link with a striker target who is both affordable, attainable and apparently amenable to a move to the EFL Championship. West Ham have been the subject of any number of reports with £20m-plus players, who we all know are out of reach this summer in the new world of SCR and Championship budgets.
Todays’ article from Mexico paints a very different picture regarding a striker who would actually tick a lot of boxes at London Stadium assuming the ‘Pablo to be sold‘ stories hold water, as well they should: The Brazilian’s zero goals and one assist in seventeen screams more Jordan Hugill than Marko Arnautovic.
The report in soyfutbol.com this morning states:
“West Ham United is eyeing striker Armando ‘Ant” Gonzales, one of the hottest new talents in Mexican soccer. The forward, a key player in Gabriel Milito’s system [manager] has landed on the English radar just as his career is taking off – he’s now a national team regular and one of Liga MX’s brightest young stars.”
Just out of primary school, by the looks of him, but Gonzales is under West Ham’s scrutiny
According to the report, the Mexicans will hang onto their young talent until a $15million bid (about £12 million) is forthcoming:
“West Ham’s interest comes at a tricky time: The London club is rebuilding after being relegated to the Championship… they want young, affordable talent..”
Which in itself is something of confirmation of the direction of travel at West Ham these days.
Finally the days of signing expensive old warhorses like Fullkrug seem to be behind us – hurrah – and links with players like Dju (yesterday) and Gonzales signal exciting times ahead, albeit in the second tier.
A reset from the old days of flops and failures was long overdue and it seems this summer the emphasis will be on young, affordable, exciting but less proven players. Not before time.
Sorry but no for me..Pablo needs to be played as a striker alongside Taty not as a workhorse which he was asked to do…writing someone off in a season where we were so bad not one player comes out of it looking good so instead of selling him down the river how about using him properly and lets see if the championship is better for him.
Spot on!