West Ham United recently completed the £27m deal to bring Germany's international striker Nicolas Fullkrug to the London Stadium from Borussia Dortmund.
The 31-year-old looks tailor-made for the Premier League with his brute power reminiscent of throwback number nines from yesteryear. But the one asterisk hanging over the addition is the Hammers' terrible track record with strikers over the last decade-plus.
Since David Sullivan and David Gold took over the club back in 2010, the East London side has brought in no fewer than 52 strikers ranging from former Manchester United hitman Javier Hernandez to current Rotherham United striker Jordan Hugill.
It's safe to say that the additions have had varying levels of success, but most of them haven't lived up to the billing. In the former Birmingham City owners' first year in charge, they had already brought in eight strikers, and that was a sign of things to come.
So, with such the revolving door opening once more, the Hammers have announced their presence to the rest of the division. The latest odds from the Bovada online sportsbook currently make West Ham a +600 contender to finish in the top six next term. But which of these departments will the newest addition fall in in years to come?
Best - Michail Antonio
One name stands out among the plethora of strikers that have worn the Claret and Blue shirt in recent years – Michail Antonio. The versatile forward has been a stalwart for the Irons, consistently delivering impressive performances and crucial goals.
He joined the club for a bargain £7m from Nottingham Forest back in 2015, and he has gone on to make over 300 appearances for the club, bagging over 80 times in the process. The Jamaican international's strength, pace and aerial ability make him a nightmare for defenders to handle, while his work rate and determination have endeared him to the London Stadium faithful.
While the likes of Chicarito, Marko Arnautovic, and Sebastien Haller have all failed to live up to their whopping transfer fees, Antonio has proven to be as reliable as ever, stepping in for those failed acquisitions and giving his all every time he steps on to the pitch.
He has scored crucial goals in Europe, helping the club to the Europa League semi-finals in 2022 as well as winning the Conference League the following year.
Now at the age of 34, he may find his playing time limited, especially with the addition of Fullkrug, However, should the German misfire as so many have before him, then Antonio will be waiting in the wings to pick up the slack and further solidify his status as a West Ham United legend.
Worst - Nikola Vlasic
While there have been shining stars among West Ham's strikers, there have also been huge disappointments, none more so than Croatia international Nikola Vlasic. The former Everton forward arrived in East London from CSKA Moscow back in the summer of 2021 for a then club record £30m. From the get-go, however, he immediately struggled to make an impact and ultimately failed to live up to expectations.
The Croatian managed just one Premier League goal in his solitary campaign with the Hammers before being shipped out to Torino, firstly on loan before a permanent deal was completed last summer. He is still just 26 years of age and may well live up to the potential that West Ham saw in him, but time is certainly running out.
Best - Jarrod Bowen
Another standout performer in an attacking sense is Jarrod Bowen. Eyebrows were raised when the Hammers forked out £22m for the Hull City man, despite him being a second-tier player, albeit a very good one. However, over the last four years, the former Hereford United man has impressed with his skill on the ball, intelligent movement off it, and clinical finishing.
Gareth Southgate sat up and took notice, making Bowen a key part of his England squads, and when taking a look at his attacking output, it's clear to see why. Since moving to East London in January 2020, the 27-year-old has scored 60 goals and provided 39 assists in 141 appearances. He was the main man throughout the David Moyes era, with last season being his most impressive.
He bagged 16 goals in the Premier League last season en route to winning the club's Player of the Season. He became the first man since Marlon Harewood to enjoy a 20-goal season in all competitions and he will be aiming to continue in a similar vein under new boss Julen Lopetegui.
Worst - Gianluca Scamacca
Before the recent addition of Fullkrug came Italian striker Gianluca Scamacca. He was supposed to be the man to finally break the club's striking curse but ultimately, his time at West Ham was marred by inconsistency and underwhelming performances.
He arrived for an eye-watering in the summer of 2022 for £35m, but he lasted just one season as well. He joined Atalanta on loan last summer and he enjoyed a stellar campaign, top-scoring for the Bergamo outfit with 19 goals in all competitions as they won the Europa League in Dublin.
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