West Ham are preparing for next season in the Europa League and life in a new 60,000-seater stadium.
Obviously, they want to assemble the best squad possible as they look to make the next step up in the world of football and this has seen them linked with some big names.
Co-chairman David Sullivan has already said the club are willing to spend £30m on a top striker, but the latest player rumoured to be in their sights isn’t needed.
Gokhan Tore is a 24-year-old winger who currently plays for Besiktas, after spending some of his youth career at Chelsea.
The Guardian are reporting that the east Londoners are willing to spend £13.3m on him.
The Turkish international provided six goals and seven assists for the Black Eagles across all competitions as they went on to win the Super Lig in the season that has just finished.
Clearly, he has some ability, but it is not the type that the Hammers require.
Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini and Michail Antonio have all performed well in Tore’s position over the 2015/16 campaign and it would be unfair to replace them.
Indeed, they were responsible for 23 of their side’s 65 Premier League goals and it would be hard to find a spot for the current Besiktas man.
Instead, West Ham need to focus solely on bringing in a new striker, to add some extra goal threat along with their attacking midfielders.
No one in Slaven Bilic’s squad got into double digits in terms of top-flight strikes and this will need to be addressed if they are to move up the table next season, with all of the clubs above them having at least one player to manage this feat.
The Daily Star have claimed that Carlos Bacca’s agent is already in London sorting out terms after a £16m bid was accepted by AC Milan.
His 18 goals in Serie A this season is an impressive haul, but, considering what they are willing to pay, the Hammers could do better.
Only Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored more than Alexandre Lacazette in Ligue 1 over 2015/16, with the Lyon man netting 21 times.
A figure of £30m is being floated round the gossip columns as what is needed to secure his signature, which David Gold and Sullivan should be able to part with, especially if they avoid Bacca and Tore.
Bringing in such quality would go a long way to helping the club come good on their 8/1 odds of finishing in the top four next season.
