Why Abdallah Sima could be a good long-term signing for West Ham
According to Claret & Hugh (h/t MSN), West Ham have been credited with an interest in rising Slavia Prague forward Abdallah Sima.
The 19-year-old Senegalese starlet has earned plenty of plaudits during an impressive breakout season in the Czech First League, scoring 6 times in 6 league games for the league leaders so far.
Sima, who started his career in youth ranks of Evian Thonon in France, joined Czech second-tier side MAS Taborsko back in March before completing his move to Slavia Prague in August. He was initially assigned to the club’s B team but was soon promoted to the first-team ranks after impressing at the reserve level.
The highly-rated teenager, who is currently the joint top-scorer in the Czech top-flight, has also caught the eye with some impressive displays in the Europa League. Sima scored in victories over French side OGC Nice in both legs and also netted in Slavia’s win away at Hapoel Be’er Sheva in December as the Czech outfit progressed to the last 32 of the competition.
Meanwhile, West Ham completed his steady start to the season with a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace in the midweek fixture, thanks to an equaliser from Sebastien Haller. The Hammers currently sit 8th in the standings with 21 points accumulated from 13 games so far, registering 6 wins in the process.
Having narrowly staved off relegation last time around, David Moyes has managed to spark a significant upturn in the club’s fortunes in the ongoing campaign. West Ham have scored 21 goals while conceding just 16, which clearly shows that the Hammers have fared pretty well at both ends of the pitch this term.
With a return to Europe very much on the cards, Moyes should look to add more talent to his ranks moving forward. While a new centre-back should still be high on the club’s agenda moving forward, West Ham can certainly do with some additional firepower up top. The Hammers recently received a massive boost, with Michail Antonio signing a new deal until 2023.
Sebastien Haller has done a pretty decent job in Antonio’s injury absence this season. But with the recently-capped Ivorian international often struggling for consistency in East London, West Ham should look to bring in some attacking reinforcements next summer.
Putting things into context, Abdallah Sima fits the bill as a quality young player with plenty of room for development. The Senegalese forward has enjoyed a stunning start to his professional career at one of the biggest clubs in the Czech Republic.
That he has backed up his strong domestic performances with some quality performances in the Europa League clearly underlines his potential to thrive in more competitive surroundings.
Verdict
West Ham have had a lot of success in their recruitment from the Czech market in recent times. The likes of Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek have established themselves as the mainstays in David Moyes’ Hammers side.
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Abdallah Sima might not be the finished article at just 19 but he looks like a player with the potential to cut the teeth in a top league in Europe. A potential move to West Ham in the summer would allow him to learn from accomplished strikers like Antonio and Haller as he continues to progress.
