Why West Ham signing Giovanni Simeone would be a real coup
According to claims from respected journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, West Ham have a strong interest in Cagliari striker Giovanni Simeone as David Moyes looks to bolster his forward line.
As per the report, Cagliari have made an enquiry over the availability of Torino’s Simone Zaza but would need to release a centre-forward to facilitate a deal. Simeone has emerged as a target for West Ham and the Italian insider feels Cagliari could try to use that in their favour in a transfer merry-go-round to lure Zaza to the club.
Profile
Giovanni Simeone shot to prominence with River Plate and Banfield in Argentina before moving to Europe with Genoa in the summer of 2016. After an impressive 12-goal haul in his debut season in the Serie A, the highly-rated centre-forward was snapped up by Fiorentina in the following summer.
The 25-year-old went on to score 22 times in 80 appearances for La Viola over two seasons before joining Cagliari on loan for the 2019-20 season. Simeone’s tally of 12 goals in the Serie A last term was enough to warrant a permanent transfer to Cagliari this past summer.
The 5-cap Argentine international has hit the ground running with 5 goals and an assist from 12 league starts so far this term.
Good long-term investment?
West Ham have been linked with a plethora of strikers across various leagues following the sale of Sebastian Haller to Ajax earlier this month. From Sevilla star Youssef En-Nesyri to Blackburn Rovers hotshot Adam Armstrong, the Hammers’ pursuit of a replacement for the Ivorian has been well-documented in the January window.
Michail Antonio has flourished following his return from injury. However, with fixtures set to come thick and fast during a hectic second half of the season, David Moyes certainly needs another specialist centre-forward in his ranks to rotate his options up top.
Putting things into context, West Ham’s interest in Giovanni Simeone strikes the right chords for a number of reasons. The talented Argentine international has racked up 49 goals and 13 assists in 162 Serie A appearances for Genoa, Fiorentina and Cagliari. While that tally might not be eye-watering, those returns certainly underline his potential to push for greater heights.
Read More
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Verdict
Simeone has crossed the 10-goal mark in three of his last four seasons in the Italian top-flight since arriving from his homeland in 2016. He looks well on course to continue that streak with 5 goals to his name already this term. With his best years still ahead of him at 25, West Ham have enough reason to look at him as a marquee signing to replace Haller.
