West Ham will return with an improved offer for Celta Vigo striker Maxi Gomez after having a £25million bid rejected, according to the Sun.
The newspaper claim the Hammers are ready to spend big on the Uruguay international to round off an impressive summer of transfer business.
The Sun report manager Manuel Pellegrini turned to Gomez, 21, to bolster his attack with an out-and-out striker as the injured Andy Carroll and Javier Hernandez are the only recognised senior front men in the squad.
Good move for West Ham?
Yes. Pellegrini’s squad have a mighty fine powerhouse in Marko Arnautovic and proven goalscorers in Hernandez and Carroll, as well as penetration from the wide forward roles from expensive new acquisitions Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolonko. Many boxes are ticked following a whirlwind of arrivals. But the team still lack a spearhead capable of scoring 20 goals a season. Carroll has never been that man, and Hernandez lacks the all-round game to lead the attack every week for a top-10 Premier League team. As for Arnautovic, he is at his best when given licence to drop deep and pull wide, rather than play with his back to goal. Gomez ripped it up last season in La Liga, where he plundered 18 league goals from 36 matches. He is already a star and has the potential to shine brightly in England.
This Is Futbol rating 8/10
Likely to happen?
West Ham have already pulled off some notable deals this summer after learning some painful transfer market lessons over the past two years. So, this cannot be ruled out entirely. But do the club have the cash to pay £25million-plus for another player after spending £90million. That is surely in some doubt.
This Is Futbol rating 4/10