Jamie Redknapp has claimed Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson would be the perfect replacement for Marko Arnautovic at West Ham.
Writing for the Daily Mail, the high-profile pundit insisted the recently-capped England international can slot in to the Hammers’ attack if Arnautovic gets his wish to quit.
Redknapp is convinced that Bournemouth would cash in on Wilson if West Ham offered over £40million for him.
“If Marko Arnautovic leaves West Ham, they should do their utmost to bring in Callum Wilson,” Redknapp told the Mail. “He reminds West Ham fans just how good he is almost every time he plays them, taking his tally to six goals in six games against the club.
“Of course Bournemouth will fight to keep him, but any offer in excess of £40million would be hard to refuse.”
OPINION
Wilson is a fine centre-forward with an impressive Premier League goal record but he is no Arnautovic. Sure, the Austria international has behaved with little grace or class over the last fortnight as he pushes with increasingly desperation for a transfer to China and the riches that the relatively minor league brings. But there is no doubting his quality as a player and the fear he spreads into opposition defences. Wilson has a real eye for goal and a tidy all-round game, as well as the movement that gets him into great goalscoring positions, but he does not have the same physical attributes as Arnautovic, who can out-pace defenders as well as out-muscle them. Wilson turns 27 next month and has the advantage of being three years younger than the man Redknapp nominates him to replace. He has the potential to improve and has showed resilience to bounce back from two very serious knee injuries. But he is not in Arnie’s class. Not yet.