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It would be in West Ham’s best interests to sign this 29-year-old Russian goal machine in January – Agreed?

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Why West Ham should go for Fyodor Smolov in January

Back in March 2018, a report from the Sky Sports had claimed that then Krasnador striker Fyodor Smolov was interested in joining West Ham. However, a deal didn’t materialise and the Russian joined Lokomotiv Moscow post the World Cup last year.

Fyodor Smolov, 29, enjoyed a prolific three-year spell with Krasnador where he scored 53 goals in 75 appearances. However, he managed only six goals and two assists in 22 league games in his debut season for Lokomotiv Moscow.

At 29, the Russian international has entered the prime stages of his career. In fact, he has enjoyed a good start to the new campaign as well as has scored two goals in as many UEFA EURO Qualifiers this year.

With that in mind, West Ham should reignite their interest in Fyodor Smolov and sign him during the January transfer window.

West Ham spent big on Sebastien Haller and Pablo Fornals in the summer transfer window to boost their forward options after allowing the likes of Andy Carroll, Marko Arnautovic and Lucas Perez to leave.

They also signed promising young striker Albian Ajeti from FC Basel but decided to sell the experienced Javier Hernandez to Sevilla.

It was surprising to see Manuel Pellegrini sanction the sale of Hernandez, considering he has two new strikers coming from different leagues. Haller may have quickly become a fan favourite, but the Hammers are just an injury away that’ll leave them light up top. That’s when the signing of Smolov would make sense for West Ham.

Smolov is one of the most prolific goalscorers in Russian football. A tall and intelligent striker with excellent technical ability, he is a solid player with really good movement in and around the box.

The Russian international may have lost a yard of pace or two but he can finish off the chances with regularity and link-up play with others.

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The former Dinamo Moscow man is strong in the air that makes him a dangerous presence during set-pieces. He works tirelessly off the ball and will add experience to the West Ham attack. Plus, Smolov’s record of 14 goals in 39 games for Russia is not bad at all.

Verdict

Smolov won’t be a long-term investment for West Ham and on a reasonable price, he could worth the penny. Hence, the Hammers must plot a January swoop for the Russian star.