West Ham United close in on La Liga goal-machine: The missing piece of the jigsaw

West Ham United are closing in on the signing of Celta Vigo striker Maxi Gomez, it has been reported.

The Hammers are willing to meet the player’s reported release clause of £43.2 million after initially rejecting Celta’s high demands in the summer, according to Sky Sports.

Should the deal work out, Gomez could be loaned back to Celta for the rest of the campaign as the Celticos look to get out of the relegation scrap.

But, is he a smart choice by Manuel Pellegrini?

Maxi Gomez would be the ideal forward for West Ham

Known for his goalscoring prowess, Gomez might turn out to be the ideal forward for the West Ham for a number of reasons.

He was one of Laliga’s most lethal strikers last season, netting 17 goals in 36 goals, and has been able to maintain that form this season, plundering nine goals in 19 games.

However, Gomez’s features are not only limited to just finding the back of the net, as the 22-year-old is also known for his excellent work-rate.

While it can be argued that the Uruguayan lacks the same technical quality that Marko Arnautovic has, Gomez still has the tendency to drop deep and link up with his teammates and most of all, create chances in the final third. He has averaged almost one key pass per game this season.

The aforementioned could be an ideal characteristic considering the fact that the Hammers boast the services of two inverted wingers in Andriy Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson, both of who could potentially build an excellent offensive partnership with the Celta Vigo star next season.

Another feature of Gomez’s gameplay is that he often likes to test the goalkeeper, having averaged 2.4 attempts per game; better than any other West Ham player this season except Arnautovic.

Gomez also dominates in the air, having won 3.7 aerial duels per game this season. Therefore, the 22-year-old would allow Pellegrini to employ a Plan B, at times, when they fail to breach opposition defences.

Therefore, the Celta Vigo star is definitely a viable target for the Hammers as his all-round qualities tune in well with Pellegrini’s tactical philosophy, while his remarkable scoring prowess will make sure that the Hammers do not squander too many opportunities next season.

However, considering his tender age, it won’t be surprising to see Gomez take time to settle himself in the fast-paced Premier League.

Stat courtesy: Whoscored