It hardly bears thinking about, the criticism that would have come West Ham United’s way had the relegation-battlers spent upwards of £30 million on a forward with just one measly goal in 19 Premier League games.
The Hammers’ reputation for expensive striking flops is already very well-documented, after all. Narratives such as this are hard to shift, and stereotypes tend to become stereotypes for a reason.
It was another claret and blue club who fell into the Evann Guessand trap last summer, though, at a time when Graham Potter was urging reinforcements in other areas.
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El Hadji Malick Diouf and Jarrod Bowen celebrate Fulham v West Ham United - Premier League
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Guessand was heavily linked with West Ham before Villa stumped up an initial fee of £23 million, rising to £30 million, for the then-OGC Nice attacker.
Aston Villa’s Evann Guessand is a bullet dodged for West Ham United
Now, for West Ham United, picking their worst striker signing of the 21st century is like trying to work out which Michael Bay movie has the most explosions.
Just when you think you’ve worked it out, another blows up in your face.
Nice striker Evann Guessand celebrates in Ligue 1
Photo by SYLVAIN THOMAS/AFP via Getty Images
But for an Aston Villa side who have tended to make better use of the funds at their disposal – albeit the Champions League chasers are not immune to the odd costly misstep – the investment made on Guessand appears destined to bring minimal returns.
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Last week, under-fire Nice director Florian Maurice defended his record in charge of the ailing Ligue 1 outfit, pointing to a series of big-money sales. Jean-Clair Todibo to West Ham, for instance.
On reflection, that Nice managed to secure a £30 million package for Guessand is nothing short of a Maurice miracle.
Crystal Palace loanee Guessand has only one Premier League goal
Despite a slight uptick in form since being farmed out on loan to Crystal Palace in January, Guessand’s record is stuck at two goals from 19 Premier League appearances.
In all competitions on English soil, the Ivory Coast international has four in 31; coming against the Wolves, Basel, Go Ahead Eagles and the mighty Zrinjski Mostar.
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The 24-year-old has looked clumsy, sluggish, and motors down more cul-de-sacs than an Uber driver with a broken Sat-Nav. And that is before you get to the debate surrounding his ‘best position’, Guesand tried in a number of areas with always-underwhelming returns.
On one particularly damning afternoon, a 2-0 defeat by Liverpool in November, Guessand completed only five passes and missed one golden chance before being hauled off on the hour.
A source told Hammers News last summer that, despite ongoing links with Guessand and many more, former manager Graham Potter did not feel the need for a big-money attacking signing. The Hammers snapped up Callum Wilson on a free instead.
Now, West Ham have made more blunders than most when it comes to signing centre-forwards. But a goal every 209 minutes from free-agent Wilson compared to one every 889 for £30 million Guessand?
Perhaps, on this very rare occasion, Potter got something right.
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