Three Premier League Clubs Who Should Target Bafetimbi Gomis
Swansea City striker Bafetimbi Gomis is close to an exit from the Liberty Stadium according to BBC Sport, with the report claiming that Turkish giants Galatasaray are heading the chase for the French striker.
The 31-year old arrived at the Welsh club back in the summer of 2014, after his contract with Ligue1 side Olympique Lyon expired amid sky-high expectations. While he did briefly show what he is capable of, Gomis could not meet the level of expectations that were on him.
Last season, however, he was back to his best, away on loan at French side Marseille, as he finished with 20 goals from 31 games in the Ligue1. Marseille too were keen on completing a permanent deal for the player, but with Galatasaray leading the race, it is unlikely that Gomis will return to France.
Gomis will leave the Swans after having made 71 appearances in which he managed to find the back of the net on 17 occasions. With him available for almost nothing as his contract will expire in a month, we look at three Premier League clubs who should look to swoop in for the Frenchman ahead of Galatasaray.
West Bromwich Albion
The Baggies petered out at the end of the season after a promising start last time around, finishing 10th in the Premier League. They will be keen on improving on their finish from the previous campaign and one area that they should look to improve is the centre-forward department.
West Brom are heavily reliant on Salomon Rondon to provide the goal threat upfront. They did bring in Hal Robson-Kanu last summer on a free transfer, but the Welsh striker hasn’t been able to make the desired impact. Having sold Saido Berahino to Stoke City, there is room for another striker in the squad and Gomis is someone who could prove to be a shrewd addition to their ranks.
Newcastle United
The newly promoted Premier League club are in the market for a new striker and have been linked with various names. However, they could turn to Gomis to help the team out on their return to the top flight.
Newcastle do have Dwight Gayle in their ranks, who top scored for the club in the Championship last season, but his record in the Premier League during his days with Crystal Palace makes for a poor reading. With question marks over the future of Aleksandar Mitrovic, it makes sense that they are on the prowl for a new centre-forward. Gomis may not have been hugely successful in England, but his season with Marseille showed what he can do, and with him coming for nothing, he could be a gamble worth taking for the Magpies.
West Ham United
The Hammers’ goal-scoring woes last season are very well-documented. They tried a lot of strikers – Simone Zaza, Jonathan Calleri, Ashley Fletcher, Andy Carroll, and Andre Ayew, but nobody was able to deliver for manager Slaven Bilic. Zaza and Calleri have departed the club since then, while Fletcher doesn’t seem ready for Premier League football yet. Carroll’s injury woes seem to be never ending too.
A new striker will be high up the shopping list for Bilic and West Ham, and they should definitely consider looking at Gomis. With the array of flair players they have in Manuel Lanzini, Michail Antonio, and Robert Snodgrass, a predatory forward like the Frenchman could turn out to be a great addition to the team.
