It’s been fun to watch West Ham this season as they push towards an improbable Champions League place next season, but one of the most admirable things has been their ability to get the best out of players who struggled in the past.
The prime example is Jesse Lingard who went from being an outcast at Old Trafford to one of the most in-form players in the league, so there will be a hope that other players could come in and have a similar impact.
They need a new striker and Eddie Nketiah needs a fresh start, so it makes sense that he’s been linked with a move this summer:
#afc Reported on West Ham's interest in Eddie Nketiah back in January. It hasn't faded and Hammers given hope possible deal could be done now Balogun is staying at Arsenal.
Story with @JackRosser_ https://t.co/Ti1RH4ctre
— Simon Collings (@sr_collings) April 15, 2021
His biggest problem is that he’s just not going to get many minutes at Arsenal just now, while Folarin Balogun sticking around pushes him down to 4th or 5th in the pecking order for that starting role.
Admittedly this would be different to the Lingard situation as this would be more about unleashing potential rather than building a player back up, but he has shown flashes to suggest he could develop into a very good Premier League striker.
READ MORE: West Ham hopes of keeping Man United loanee Jesse Lingard given a major blow
Perhaps he would need to come in alongside a more established starter but his pace and finishing ability have never been in doubt, so he could be a gamble worth taking for David Moyes next season.
His contract is up in 2022 and there’s a feeling that he does want to move on if he’s not going to get a chance to play, so this is a clear option for West Ham if they are interested.