West Ham are weighing up a move for West Brom striker Salomon Rondon, according to reports in the English media.
His loan with Newcastle is due to expire and with a release clause of £16.5m, a number of Premier League clubs including the Hammers, Everton and Wolves have been looking at him.
Supporters on Twitter are split over whether Rondon would be the right purchase:
Newcastle Player of the Season speaks volumes imo! A huge Andy Carroll upgrade!! However isn’t he a tad old too??
— Simon Kingdon (@Sikingdon) May 17, 2019
Another player who will be 30 next season. We need to start buying younger players who can give us more than 2-3yrs if we ever want to progress, otherwise we’re just “fire fighting” like we have for years.
— David Clerihew (@DavidClerihew) May 16, 2019
No thanks
— TIGER and HAMMER (@JohnFloris41) May 17, 2019
Be 30 soon after new season starts. Box ticked
— roy beadle (@jackiancorey) May 17, 2019
Ffs our board just never learn do they.
— LeeSea (@eesea_l) May 16, 2019
Would take
— Marshall⚒ (@MrshllClrke) May 16, 2019
16m for someone that’s 29 don’t no if that’s good or not
— ⚒ ian ⚒ (@IANL80s) May 16, 2019
Rondon over Mitrovic all day long
— ⚒️Danny Harris⚒️ (@Hammerddh43) May 16, 2019
At the start of the season I said no thanks but he’s proved me wrong 100% would take him or Gomez
— Finley Mclellan (@finleymclellan6) May 16, 2019
It’s no surprise that West Ham are looking at Rondon. Manager Manuel Pellegrini worked with the Venezuelan international at Malaga and is said to be a huge fan.
His buyout clause means he is a far cheaper option than Maxi Gomez (£43.5m) and Aleksandar Mitrovic (£20m – £25m) while his record in the Premier League this campaign is pretty decent.
The 29-year-old scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 33 appearances for the Magpies, playing a part in 43% of the North East club’s goals in the league.