Slaven Bilic is desperate to remake the West Ham attack
Any West Ham fan who believes Slaven Bilic is content to stand pat this summer needs to think again. The embattled Hammers manager is moving quickly to revamp his attack in the early part of this summer transfer window.
The club were plagued last season by poor striker play. It’s not as if Bilic and company didn’t try to sign any centre forwards last year, they just couldn’t get a deal over the line. The one big name they did acquire, Simone Zaza, endured a disastrous spell in the Premier League.
That’s why Bilic has the club poised to buy Kelechi Iheanacho to lead their line. The Manchester City starlet once looked as if he was one of the Premier League’s next attacking stars before falling out of favour with Pep Guardiola. Still, his talent is undeniable.
He will step right into Bilic’s starting XI on a weekly basis. It’ll be a learning process for the Nigerian striker, but he has plenty of upside. If West Ham remain patient with him, he could become the answer to their striker problem for years to come.
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That, in and of itself, would have been a profound change for the club. Now, Bilic is poised to take an even larger step forward. The Hammers are attempting to outbid Tottenham for the services of Everton midfield ace Ross Barkley.
Reports from England claim that West Ham are willing to meet Barkley’s startling wage demands of £140 thousand per week. That’s believed to be the biggest issue keeping him away from Spurs. Daniel Levy isn’t willing to make the talented Englishman his squad’s highest paid player.
Like Iheanacho, Barkley would walk right into Bilic’s starting XI. Ideally, he could partner with Manuel Lanzini to get West Ham significant firepower in their attacking midfield. Some reports have linked the Argentine with a move away from the club this summer, but Bilic and company certainly want to keep him.
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If Slaven Bilic’s best laid plans come true, it could mean big things for West Ham this summer. The club could finally have an attack capable of challenging the upper echelon of the Premier League. Time will tell if he club can get the deals for Barkley and Iheanacho over the finish line.