West Ham Opinion: Why West Ham should avoid signing Dario Benedetto?

According to a report from Corriere Dello Sport, West Ham are set to battle it out with AS Roma for the signature of Boca Juniors striker Dario Benedetto.

Dario Benedetto, 28, has been a prolific goalscorer for Boca, impressing in the last two seasons in Argentina. He may not have been able to hit last season’s heights, the 28-year-old remains one of the stars of Argentine Primera Division.

The report claims West Ham have offered €20 million to Boca Juniors to acquire the striker’s services in the summer. But with Roma in the mix, it would be a bit tough for the Hammers to lure Benedetto away from Boca to the London Stadium.

Interest in Benedetto shows Manuel Pellegrini is looking out for attacking reinforcements in the summer. And why not? Andy Carroll is out of contract in June, while Lucas Perez and Javier Hernandez are not deemed to have the quality to supply goals at a consistent rate. Marko Arnautovic signed a new deal with the club in January, yet his future remains up in the air.

Bit will Benedetto be the right man for West Ham? In the summer of 2016, the forward moved back to Argentina from Mexico. In his first two seasons, the 28-year-old ripped apart defences at will and netted 40 goals, including 30 in just 34 league games. It was a phenomenal return; however, his form has dipped massively this season.

With just four goals in 19 appearances, Benedetto’s hot goalscoring streak has dried up. Not to forget, a ruptured cruciate ligament back in 2017 had ruined a fantastic start to the season. Even though he has not suffered a recurrence of the injury yet, it’s always risky to buy players that have been injured in the past. The injury problems certainly leave a question mark hovering above him.

Plus, the 28-year-old has no prior experience of the Premier League. He has spent time only in Argentina and Mexico, meaning Benedetto will be a huge gamble to take for West Ham.

Verdict

West Ham simply cannot afford to take any more gambles after the acquisition of Jack Wilshere. They need proven, experienced and injury-free players that can fit into Pellegrini’s system.

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Benedetto doesn’t tick any of the boxes and thus, West Ham should avoid splashing the cash on the five-cap Argentina international.