West Ham legend Tony Cottee claims that his former club made a massive mistake when they didn’t sign a “young, dynamic striker” last summer.

The Hammers did bring in Niclas Fullkrug from Borussia Dortmund for £27m but, speaking on talkSPORT (quotes via the West Ham Way), Cottee said that manager Julen Lopetegui needed a different option up front:

“You know the centre-forward position is just, it’s just a joke that they haven’t bought a centre-forward who could score goals and lead the line. If you’re Bowen, Kudus, Paqueta, Summerville, they’ve got good players, but no one is leading the line.”

“Antonio has been brilliant. Don’t get me wrong, he signed as a right-back, top goalscorer, he’s done fantastic, but he’s 34 now. Fullkrug, 31. They need a young, dynamic striker to lead the line.”

West Ham did pursue a 20-year-old forward

It is well-documented that the Irons made a concerted effort to buy Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran but they were unable to agree a fee.

The Colombian international’s asking price at the time was reportedly between £40m and £50m. That seems like good value in hindsight, considering his goal return in the opening weeks of the campaign.

Duran, 20, has recently signed a new deal at Villa and it is believed that he is now worth £75m, with the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea interested in securing his services.

Fullkrug’s injury has had a serious impact

No one would describe Niclas Fullkrug as “dynamic” but he can lead the line and score goals. The German has, though, been unfortunate with injuries.

An Achilles problem has kept him sidelined since mid-September and complications in his recovery mean it is not known when he will return to action. Fans will be hoping that he can play some part against Manchester United this weekend.

Find out who is in West Ham’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here