West Ham versus Burnley on Saturday afternoon proved devastating for Danny Ings’ future at the London Stadium as the club continues to call out for a new striker purchase in the January transfer window.
With Michail Antonio’s recent injury while on international duty, David Moyes chose to deploy Ings in the striker position, leading Lucas Paqueta, Tomas Soucek and Mohammed Kudus in attack.
Following a reported failed £40million bid in the summer, West Ham are still interested in acquiring the services of Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke, according to The Mirror.
It is also understood that Ings, who has yet to register a goal this season, could depart in the next transfer window if West Ham are able to find a suitable replacement.
While the Cherries have no interest in letting their talisman go, and will aim to rebuff any bids for him, as per talkSport, it appears that the London club will still attempt to rip Solanke from their grasp.
Solanke is one name on a list of strikers that could potentially join the Hammers. However, it would seem David Moyes is keen on bringing in a player with prior Premier League experience.
However, West Ham’s torrid past of signing awful strikers is no secret. From their most recent flop in Gianluca Scamacca to the likes of Simone Zaza, Sofiane Feghouli, Lucas Perez and Sebastien Haller, the Hammers have been starved of a prolific forward who can net 20+ goals per season.
It could be argued that Ings also makes it into that list. His 14 touches against Burnley should probably be his last in a West Ham side, having been hooked for 19-year-old Divin Mubama just after the hour-mark.
Antonio is a rare exception to the striker curse in West London, becoming a fan favourite over an eight-year stay at the club due to his exceptional work ethic and dedication to the team. At 33 years old, though, his game time needs to be managed, especially with his long list of past injuries.
In a team with the attacking outlets in superstar Jarrod Bowen, new kid on the block Kudus, set-piece technician James Ward-Prowse, and impacts from the bench in Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals, not only could Solanke play some great, free-flowing football, but he could thrive.
A young Solanke struggled for opportunities at Chelsea and Liverpool, eventually making the move to Bournemouth in January 2019. Although the Cherries were relegated that season, the forward was given the chance to gain valuable experience in the Championship, where he scored a total of 44 goals in 86 appearances across two seasons.
He is a proven goalscorer; there is no doubt about it. But with his current club, there is only so much he can do without the same calibre of players around him that he could be playing with at West Ham.
Having already matched his record of six Premier League goals from last season, Solanke is head and shoulders above the rest of his teammates, and despite recently signing a new four-year contract, could see Moyes’ interest as a route out of a relegation-threatened side.
Solanke does not just offer goals either. He was Bournemouth’s best playmaker last season with seven assists, three more than Marcus Tavernier in second.
His hold-up play and ability to bring others into the attack would be vital for the way West Ham play, feeding passes into Paqueta and Bowen in the wide areas before making a dash into the penalty area to poke home the crosses.
The Hammers will know firsthand just how potent the striker is, watching from the stands at the Vitality Stadium earlier this season as he rounded Alphonse Areola to score the equaliser in a 1-1 draw.
If somewhere in the region of £40million would tempt Bournemouth into selling, it is a no-brainer for West Ham to grab their main man. A star striker could be the final piece of their footballing puzzle to see them finally break into the top six spots.
