According to Marca, West Ham United have emerged as a potential suitor for Antonio Sanabria. The Real Betis striker has been linked with a move away from Estadio Benito Villamarin, with the Hammers reportedly showing a keen interest.
It is believed that Manuel Pellegrini’s side are even willing to splurge £20 million to secure his services before the summer transfer windows slams shut on August 9. However, his previous club AS Roma will receive 50% of the transfer fee due to an agreement which was embedded in Sanabria’s deal when he initially moved to Betis in 2016.
And here at MAEPL, we will discuss the pros and cons of Sanabria’s potential move to West Ham.
Pros
West Ham’s lack of goalscoring options has been well documented. The Hammers, despite boasting the likes of Javier Hernandez, Jordan Hugill and Andy Carroll have not been lethal in front of goal, which saw winger Marko Arnautovic emerge as their top scorer last season.
However, Pellegrini is keen to address that situation before the transfer window shuts down next week and Sanabria, in that regard, could be a good move. The Paraguayan international has quite a prolific record in the Spanish top flight, scoring 22 goals in just 68 games.
The 22-year-old is identified as a goal-poacher, who is often present in the right place at the right time. His 6 ft figure enables him to cause trouble for the opposition in aerial duels while his clever movements in the penalty box are arguably his biggest asset.
Considering the fact that the Hammers will be without the services of Andy Carroll, who has been ruled out for three months due to an ankle injury, Sanabria’s poaching instincts can easily help Pellegrini fill in the gap left by the former Liverpool striker.
Additionally, his presence will also strengthen West Ham’s attacking department especially with the likes of Chicharito and Hugill struggling to play to their potential.
Cons
Despite showing great promise ever since his breakout at Sporting Gijon back in 2015/16 season, Sanabria has also shown signs of weaknesses in his game.
And one of his prominent drawbacks is his injury-prone nature. Indeed, the 22-year-old has suffered from various kinds of injuries in the past couple of years. While his muscle and groin injury kept him out for a total of 129 days, a serious knee problem prevented him from taking part for most of last season. Thus, West Ham should definitely be wary of his injury-prone nature.
However, the Paraguayan international has already shown what he is capable of at the highest level of football and as we approach the final stage of the ongoing transfer window, a move for Sanabria certainly makes sense as far as West Ham are concerned.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
