Sam Allardyce has been criticised for his supposed negative brand of football at Upton Park, with many supporters complaining about a lack of flair and goals. He has already added Mauro Zarate to his squad this summer and his search for another goal threat has led him to another South American.
The Daily Star are reporting that West Ham are in for £12 million-rated Ecuador star Enner Valencia. Valencia has performed admirably in Brazil, scoring three goals during the group stages and establishing himself as one of the top players for his country. He also scored 18 goals in 23 appearances for Pachuca last season, proving that he knows his way to goal.
Valencia is expected to cost around £12 million, a kind of fee West Ham have only been too happy to throw around recently. Valencia would offer the Hammers something different upfront; his pace and purposeful dribbling would prove a nightmare for Premier League defenders. He may not be huge in size but he certainly makes up for it with his composure in front of goal. He has proven he can perform under pressure and he would certainly face a large amount of that at Upton Park if West Ham were to continue with their negative performances.
At £12 million Valencia is a huge gamble, with only a solid season in Mexico and a fantastic World Cup under his belt. The Ecuadorian seems to be going from strength to strength though and he could prove to be the buy of the season if his development continues.
Hernandez Turns Down Saints Move – Why The Mexico Striker Could Be A Wanted Man
With several of stars on their way out of St Mary’s, the last thing Southampton fans will want to hear is that players do not wish to join the club. According Togel Hongkong reports in the Mirror, that is true of one Manchester United striker.
Having recently turned 26 years of age, Javier Hernandez is no longer the promising youngster he was when the Red Devils first signed him. Despite this, the Mexico international is yet to feature in more than 28 Premier League games in one season. Taking into account that many of his top flight appearances have been from the substitutes’ bench makes the stat seem even more unimpressive.
Although he has played more frequently in other competitions to make his overall tally look slightly better, Hernandez has never been able to establish himself as a regular starter at Old Trafford. There is a good reason for that, however, as the forward has to fight for a place in the side with quality players such as Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Robin van Persie.
Currently on a total of 59 goals for United, Hernandez has a ratio of roughly a goal every two-and-a-half games. That is particularly impressive given his limited gametime and stop-start career at the club, and is a sign that he could succeed elsewhere if given a more prominent role.
Southampton are apparently still interested in signing Hernandez despite him allegedly snubbing them. The Saints should not be his only option, though, and it would be no surprise to see a number of clubs after the Mexican who has plenty left to prove.
