Why West Ham should plot a January swoop for Wissam Ben Yedder
Back in 2016, West Ham were interested in signing Wissam Ben Yedder from Toulouse. But a move didn’t materialise as the forward, who is 5ft 7in, was deemed too small and instead headed for Spain to join Sevilla. (h/t Football.london)
Wissam Ben Yedder, 29, joined AS Monaco in the summer after three years with Sevilla, scoring 70 goals across 138 games in all competitions. Prior to that, the 29-year-old spent six years in France with Toulouse, registering 63 goals in 156 Ligue 1 matches.
The Frenchman has enjoyed a fantastic start to life at AS Monaco, racking up 9 goals in 12 games already. He is proving his class in Ligue 1, which should prompt West Ham into reigniting their interest in the striker during the January transfer window.
The Hammers broke their transfer record in the summer by signing Sebastien Haller from Eintracht Frankfurt. The Frenchman started well, but his goals have dried up. He has just 4 goals in 12 games across all competitions.
Haller’s poor form coupled with lack of sources when it comes to scoring goals suggests West Ham clearly need more firepower up front. West Ham sold Marko Arnautovic, Javier Hernandez and Lucas Perez in the summer, whilst Andy Carroll left on a free transfer and Jordan Hugill joined Queens Park Rangers on loan.
Thus, it is an absolute no-brainer for West Ham to sign a new striker in January and Manuel Pellegrini should go all out for Wissam Ben Yedder. The 29-year-old has a real eye for goal.
The France international of Tunisian descent is proven at playing at the very highest level for a sustained period of time, and he would undoubtedly bolster West Ham’s forward department.
A fox in the box, he can get in the right place at the right time more often than not, whilst his positioning and reading of the game make him such a tricky customer to mark for the defenders. Ben Yedder is an excellent finisher and has the ability to stretch the opposition’s defence with tireless runs into the channels.
More West Ham News
- Why Franck Kessie would be a brilliant signing for West Ham
- January transfers: Three areas West Ham need to strengthen
- Why selling Lucas Perez was the right call by West Ham United
Not only would the former Toulouse man provide fantastic competition for Haller but the pair can also potentially form a devastating partnership. In the video below, one could watch Ben Yedder’s style of play and the qualities he could bring to West Ham if a move goes through.
Verdict
Ben Yedder is scoring goals for fun in Ligue 1 and he’s exactly the kind of player West Ham need. Hence, the Hammers must go all out to sign him in January.