Why Fyodor Smolov Could Be The Saving Grace For West Ham This Season
After replacing Slaven Bilic with David Moyes last month, West Ham United are looking to get back to winning ways after spending close to 4 months in the relegation zone. The former Manchester United manager needs some good results in the coming weeks in the Premier League if he is to have any chance of saving West Ham from relegation.
The Scotsman is reportedly on the lookout for a new striker and Russian Fyodor Smolov is believed to be one of his targets in the January transfer window. West Ham representatives reportedly watched the Russian striker help his club Krasnodar score the winner against Ural Sver Oblast at the weekend, which was also his 12th goal of the season (14 games), including international games.
The in-form striker and Russian national team captain is also said to have alerted Bundesliga sides, Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke, who are also said to be interested in signing the 27-year-old.
Smolov is set to lead the Russian national team at the FIFA 2018 World Cup next summer and is said to be open to a move away from Russia in January and particularly to England. Smolov is fluent in speaking English and will face no trouble adapting to a new country.
The Russian international has netted 56 goals in 86 appearances for Krasnodar since he joined the club in 2015, making him a suitable candidate to lead West Ham’s attack.
West Ham United have been struggling in front of the goal despite signing Javier Hernandez in the summer and the likes of Andy Carroll and Andre Ayew have not delivered thus far for the Hammers.
The proposition of signing Smolov looks much more convincing given the current situation of the strikers at the club. West Ham are likely to give Moyes a decent transfer budget in the January transfer window in the hope of getting the club out of the rut and into the top half of the table.
Smolov could be the saving grace for the Hammers this season if they can manage to rope in the Russian before Bundesliga clubs step up their interest in January.