OPINION
West Ham United need to ensure they get more goals from their midfield next season. Indeed, more goals from all over the pitch would be nice.
52 goals in 38 games wasn’t a bad total this season, but they will need to do better if they are to make the step up to European competition next time out.
That’s why the club must ensure they pull the trigger on a move for Olympiacos playmaker Kostas Fortounis. The Sun reported on Friday that the Hammers are in talks for a £16million deal for the Greek international.
This is a player who scored 17 goals and bagged 16 assists from midfield this campaign – from midfield! Those are simply ridiculous tallies and, while the level of competition in Greece is obviously weaker than in the Premier League, his five goals in 12 Europa League games suggest that he could be capable of making the step up.
Felipe Anderson was West Ham’s top scoring midfielder with 10 last term, while Michail Antonio was next up with seven. Beyond that it was captain Mark Noble with five, but most of those were penalties.
So more production from the middle of the park is needed, and Fortounis would appear to be the ideal number ten for Manuel Pellegrini’s side.
Someone who can score and create is exactly what the Chilean is looking for, and what he didn’t get from the returning Manuel Lanzini last time out (although as he was making his comeback from a serious injury his lack of production can perhaps be excused).
The Hammers need to add a bit of spice if they are going to break though the glass ceiling and challenge for European football next season. Fortounis undoubtedly provides that, and he’d likely be a big hit at the London Stadium.