West Ham Opinion: Why Joshua King would be a good fit for the Hammers?

Back in May 2017, the Daily Star claimed that West Ham were interested in signing Bournemouth striker Joshua King but a move didn’t materialise.

King, 27, has been one of the Premier League’s most underrated strikers for the last few years. He bagged 12 goals and three assists in 35 Premier League games for the Cherries last season, forming one of the exciting attacks with the likes of Callum Wilson, Ryan Fraser and Ryan Fraser.

West Ham are in need of a prolific striker ahead of the new campaign. The Hammers have seen Lucas Perez, Marko Arnautovic and Andy Carroll all depart this summer, leaving them short on numbers going forward. Javier Hernandez and Jordan Hugill are the club’s only recognised strikers and with just less than a month left for the transfer window to slam shut, Manuel Pellegrini needs to do something fast.

With that in mind, it would be the perfect time for the Hammers to reignite their interest in Joshua King.

King is proven at playing at the very highest level for a sustained period of time, and he would undoubtedly help take the Hammers to another level. He has the strength, power and pace to bully defenders and is a striker that is strong in so many departments.

The Norwegian has got the pace and power to play the lone role in attack, where he’s proven himself to be capable at the highest level with Bournemouth. He can also play as a secondary striker and do the job of linking play between midfield and attack, something which has often done under Eddie Howe at the Vitality Stadium. The 27-year-old is an excellent finisher, and has the ability to stretch the opposition’s defence with tireless runs into the channels.

King is a Premier League proven material, so he could serve as a low-risk acquisition for the Hammers if Pellegrini decides to put to his faith in the free agent market. The likes of Manuel Lanzini, Pablo Fornals and Felipe Anderson could be licking their lips for having a mobile and dominating presence in the box like King.

Verdict

The acquisition of a forward of King’s quality and experience will undoubtedly improve Pellegrini’s attacking options at the London Stadium. He is precisely the type of player who will be a good fit for Pellegrini’s brand of football at the east London club.