West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing Villarreal forward Gerard Moreno in the summer. Moreno had a sensational 2020-21 season, scoring 30 goals in all competitions, 23 of which came in La Liga.
As per Calciomercato, the Hammers are keen on bringing the Spaniard to London Stadium but will have to face competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Italian side AS Roma. Moreno came through the ranks at Villarreal, playing for their B and C teams before making his debut for the senior team.
He then moved to Espanyol before returning to Villarreal in 2018. The 29-year-old has racked up 63 goals in three seasons with the Spanish club. Moreno is contracted to the Spanish club until 2023.
Gerard Moreno to West Ham United – A top option for the Hammers?
Gerard Moreno had a dream 2020-21 season, as he finished the La Liga season behind Lionel Messi in the goal-scoring charts. The Spaniard had a strong 2019-20 season, where he scored 20 goals in all competitions and took his performances up a few notches in the recently concluded season.
West Ham are interested in signing Europa League winning striker Gerard Moreno this summer – Calcio Mercato
😍😍😍😍😍 pic.twitter.com/vHfRLAOb7O
— West Ham Central (@WestHam_Central) May 31, 2021
Moreno’s main attribute is his exceptional finishing; the Spanish forward has a strong left-foot and a decent right foot, which is his weaker foot, and also shows great composure in front of goal.
He is also a player who links well with his teammates in attacking areas and has the vision and technique to pick out passes. Capable of playing all across the front line, Moreno is also strong in dribbling past opposition defenders.
The Spanish forward is an all-round player who can score loads of goals and also set up goals for his teammates, while also being versatile. Moreno scored a vital goal for Villarreal in the Europa League final against Manchester United and showed that he can step up when it matters.
West Ham United would benefit from the signing of a player of the quality of Moreno. The Hammers had a superb 2020-21 season, finishing sixth and qualifying for next season’s Europa League.
What a season for Gerard Moreno 👏
He becomes the 10th player from Europe’s top 5 leagues to score 30 goals this season in all competitions.
30 goals ⚽️
10 assists 🎯 pic.twitter.com/PgqKgfbBAV— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 26, 2021
David Moyes has done a fantastic job at the London club and has qualified for Europe with just one senior striker in Michail Antonio. Antonio was the Hammers’ joint top-scorer, an honour he shared with midfielder Tomas Soucek.
Moyes doesn’t have depth in a few areas of the pitch, with the most notable lack of options in the forward position. The club will have more fixtures next season with their involvement in the Europa League which will require Moyes to rotate his squad.
Gerard Moreno would be a fantastic addition to the West Ham side, which could give the Hammers manager more options in attack as Antonio could play out wide on the wing as well.
But, with Villarreal set to play in the Champions League after their Europa League victory, the Hammers will find it hard to convince Moreno to join them next season.
