Why West ham could really benefit from the signing of Kasper Dolberg

West Ham appear to be in better shape to enjoy a stronger campaign this time around, under new manager Manuel Pellegrini. The Chilean replaced David Moyes last month and did the right thing by strengthening the backline first, which was one of the chief reasons for the club’s wretched 2017/18 campaign.

The likes of Issa Diop, Ryan Fredericks and Lukasz Fabianski have all come in, as Pellegrini looks to fix West Ham’s defensive frailties ahead of the new season. Having splashed good money to shore up the defence, Pellegrini must now shift his focus on bolstering the attacking options.

Former manager David Moyes largely opted a 3-4-2-1 formation with Marco Arnautovic as the sole striker. Using Arnautovic as the only man up front did raise a lot of eyebrows as the Austrian, predominantly a winger, could have struggled.

But due to Javier Hernandez’s inconsistent form and Andy Carroll’s persistent injury problems, Moyes took the gamble of playing Arnautovic in an unfamiliar position and surprisingly, the move handsomely paid off.

Arnautovic, one of the most inconsistent players in the Premier League, was a beast in front of goal, banging in goals at crucial times. There was no stopping the Austrian as he looked like a player reborn under Moyes.

Prior to being given the centre-forward role, Arnautovic had no goals to his name. The conclusion of the season saw the 29-year-old end up with 11 goals and 6 assists in 31 league games.

While Pellegrini could opt using Arnautovic up front as well, there are no second thoughts the Hammers needing a young, prolific goal scorer next term. In that case, Ajax’s wonder boy Kasper Dolberg could be the ideal player as he fits the bill of a young, energetic, skilful and prolific striker.

Dolberg, 20, broke into Ajax’s first-team in the 2016-17 campaign and made an instant impression with his clinical finishing and rapid movement up front. He scored an eye-catching 23 goals in all competitions as Ajax reached the Europa League final then but lost 2-0 to Manchester United.

While Dolberg’s impact diminished this past season, as he scored just 9 times in all competitions, there is no doubting the young Dane’s talent and potential as he continues to develop with the Dutch giants.

Dolberg is a fantastic poacher with good movement off the ball and anticipation skills. A young talent will only improve the Hammers’ chances of being more successful next season.

What the Hammers can do is sign the Danish international and promise him regular game time to improve his game under Pellegrini. At 20, Dolberg could play for the club for at least four years and establish himself in the Premier League.

Clearly, it is now or never for the Hammers to get the deal done for the exciting Dolberg. The young Dane has all the attributes to succeed at the London Stadium.