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West Ham: First choice XI for 2016-17

By Tom Bogert

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 10: Mark Noble (16), Andy Carroll (9) and Dimitri Payet of West Ham United (27) celebrate victory after the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the Boleyn Ground on May 10, 2016 in London, England. West Ham United are playing their last ever home match at the Boleyn Ground after their 112 year stay at the stadium. The Hammers will move to the Olympic Stadium for the 2016-17 season. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 10: Mark Noble (16), Andy Carroll (9) and Dimitri Payet of West Ham United (27) celebrate victory after the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the Boleyn Ground on May 10, 2016 in London, England. West Ham United are playing their last ever home match at the Boleyn Ground after their 112 year stay at the stadium. The Hammers will move to the Olympic Stadium for the 2016-17 season. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – JUNE 25: Carlos Bacca
GLENDALE, AZ – JUNE 25: Carlos Bacca /

ST Carlos Bacca

West Ham are interested in bringing Carlos Bacca into the fold, to either partner Andy Carroll in two striker formations or play alone up top.

Bacca is being chased by West Ham and a price tag of upwards of £30million isn’t a small fee for a player who turns 30 before the Premier League’s fourth gameweek, but West Ham are in the win-now business after a promising 2015-16 and Payet at the height of his powers.

Since the Columbian came to Europe, when he joined Club Brugge in 2011, Bacca has averaged just about a goal every other game wherever he’s been. At Sevilla, he netted 34 goals in 70 league appearances then 18 in 38 at Milan last season.

If Bacca were to be signed by West Ham, it’d dramatically improve their end product so long that he lands at the club well.

ST Andy Carroll

For those who rate Carroll above Lanzini will opt for a 4-2-2-2, but others that don’t fancy Carroll will do a 4-2-3-1 with the big striker on the bench.

Bacca and Carroll, on paper, partner each other beautifully. For when the club can’t cleanly bring the ball out of the back to feed Payet and Feghouli, it can be lumped up to Carroll. Conversely, when the beautiful game is just that, then they can skip Carroll until the final third, where he’ll be lining up for crosses.

Related Story: Bacca demands huge wages from West Ham

In the mean time, Bacca can use his incisive movement and get on the same wavelength with Payet and get in behind. It’ll be an attack that’s not linear; they won’t have a plan A because they’ll have multiple ways to score.

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