West Ham United are on the hunt for a new attacker this summer. After losing Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham Hotspur for £55m, the Hammers have money to reinvest.
Graham Potter will no doubt be desperate for his side to improve on their 14th place finish, and begin ot make real strides.
Kudus might not be the only major outgoing of the summer, with star midfielder Lucas Paqueta also linked with a move away. Manchester City are said to be interested in the Brazilian, in a deal that could end up being worth just £45m.
West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta
So, the Hammers might need to strengthen in attack more than they may have initially thought at the start of the window. Already, there are a few links being banded about.
West Ham’s latest transfer targets
The Hammers are certainly looking to bring some new attacking threat to the London Stadium this summer. One player who has been earmarked for a move to the club is Southampton youngster Matheus Fernandes, who could cost as much as £50m.
However, it is not just the Portuguese star who could switch to East London. According to Simon Jones of The Mail, the Hammers are one of the Premier League sides who have ‘shown interest’ in signing Liverpool and Scotland winger Ben Doak before the window slams shut in just over three weeks.
However, this will not be an easy deal to do. Potter’s side are set to face strict competition with top-flight rivals Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers for the winger.
Ben Doak in action for Middlesbrough
Liverpool could ask for as much as £20m to let the youngster go permanently this summer.
Why Doak would be a good signing
At just 19 years of age, Doak boasts a big reputation. The winger, who was born in Dalry, is already an international for Scotland and has six caps to his name. Last term, he spent time on loan at Championship side Middlesbrough, where he thrived.
The former Celtic star, who made two appearances for the Bhoys at senior level, experienced his first full campaign of professional football for Boro. He played 24 times, scoring seven goals and grabbing three assists.
His underlying numbers from the Championship last season show just how much of a threat he was going forward.
For example, the 19-year-old averaged 2.23 key passes and 1.77 take-ons per 90 minutes, which placed him in the top 5% and 19% of wingers in the second-tier last term.
Doak key stats from 24/25 Championship
Stat (per 90)
Goals and assists
Key passes
Shot-creating actions
Goal-creating actions
Take-ons completed
Progressive carries
Stats from FBref
With that kind of attacking threat, he could become the most exciting player West Ham have had on their books since Dimitri Payet.
The Frenchman was “above anyone else” whom Mark Noble played with during his illustrious 18-year-long career with the Hammers.
Dimitri-payet-west-ham
Indeed, he was a special player, known for his quick feet, bags of tricks, and ability to score spectacular goals.
He only played 60 times for the club, but scored 15 and assisted 22 in that time, becoming a true West Ham icon.
With the talent that Doak possesses, it is easy to see how he could go on to become the Hammers’ best player since Payet departed back in 2017.
As football scout Antiono Mango once said, the forward can be a "menace" at his absolute best.
ben doak
The way the play is similar, with both players looking to take defenders on and create bags of chances. Doak’s numbers from last term have already been highlighted, but Payet’s 2.2 successful dribbles and four key passes each game in his debut Premier League season, as per Sofascore, show just how deadly he was.
For just £20m, this is a hugely exciting deal for the Hammers. Signing Doak would be a big statement given his huge potential. The excitement he would bring to the London Stadium might not have been seen since the days Payet donned Claret and Blue.