Graham Potter made a big striker call in his first transfer window as West Ham boss.
It is probably quicker to list the strikers who weren’t linked with a move to West Ham in January than those supposedly on Graham Potter’s list of targets.
From Jhon Duran – again – to Emanuel Emegha, Tammy Abraham, Ciro Immobile, Brian Brobbey, Evan Ferguson and goodness knows who else.
Michail Antonio’s car crash and Niclas Fullkrug’s injury lay-off meant Potter simply had to bring a striker in.
Hammers fans would have accepted nothing less.
Potter’s first big transfer call as Hammers boss
As the window wore on, West Ham’s list narrowed to two players – Ferguson and Brobbey.
Competition was fierce for Brighton’s 20-year-old striker with as many as 19 other clubs in for the Irishman.
Understandably so given the Seagulls valued Ferguson at over £100m little more than one year ago.
Brobbey was heavily linked with both West Ham and Tottenham.
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The powerful Dutch forward appeared to be a good fit as a replacement for Antonio in terms of attributes.
Stocky, quick and strong, Brobbey had a lot going for him to succeed in the Premier League.
Brighton-owner striker Evan Ferguson on loan at West Ham and Ajax forward Brian Brobbey.
Brighton-owner striker Evan Ferguson on loan at West Ham and Ajax forward Brian Brobbey. Credit: Getty Images/Vince Mignott/Pieter van der Woude/MB Media/BSR Agency.
One Ajax legend declared Brobbey was not good enough for the Premier League, casting some doubt in the minds of West Ham fans.
But another disagreed as Rafael van der Vaart said Brobbey would shine at West Ham.
The Hammers appeared to be closing in on the 23-year-old striker in the last weeks of January.
Brobbey even jetted to London to wait for the green light to complete a loan move with option or obligation to buy.
West Ham admitted they got cold feet over Brobbey, though, pulling out of the move with Potter unsure if he would be up to Premier League standards.
West Ham won’t believe what Brobbey has done after Potter snub
Potter went with what he knows instead, signing Ferguson on a straight loan.
The Brighton forward has barely featured for the Hammers, though, and has not hidden his frustration either.
Ferguson has criticised Potter over his lack of game time at West Ham.
Especially as the Hammers have scored just one goal per game in their first three months under their new manager.
Ireland assistant boss John O’Shea also had stern words for Potter over Ferguson’s treatment.
Photo by Marcel Bonte/Soccrates/Getty Images
Photo by Marcel Bonte/Soccrates/Getty Images
So far it looks like Ferguson could be yet another West Ham striker flop signing.
And West Ham won’t believe what Brobbey has done after that Potter snub.
Since Ferguson emerged as Potter’s preferred choice, Brobbey has registered the same number of goal contributions as the entire West Ham team combined.
The striker Potter turned down has four goals and two assists since the closing weeks of January, when West Ham turned their attentions to Ferguson.
In that same time the Hammers have scored just six goals in eight games.
No guarantee Brobbey would have done it in the Premier League
That’s not to say Potter necessarily made the wrong choice.
There are no guarantees Brobbey would have been able to hack it in the Premier League.
Given how little Ferguson has played, Brobbey may not have had many minutes to prove himself either.
On the flip side, could he really have done much worse?
It is always something West Ham could revisit in the summer if Brobbey keeps up his decent form.
Brobbey has the chance to add to his tally on Sunday, when Ajax go to rivals PSV.
Meanwhile back at West Ham, Ferguson will be hoping for his first start – or first shot on target – since signing when the Hammers go to Wolves on Tuesday night.