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Why signing Manchester City’s Wilfried Bony would be the perfect solution for West Ham?
West Ham have been trying to bring a striker to the club all summer and thought they had done it by signing Andre Ayew. However, the Ghanaian suffered an injury on his debut and is set to be missing until at least December as a result. Andy Carroll is also injured and can’t be relied on to stay fit for prolonged periods. Their striking options at the club are limited and they need to bring a player in before the transfer window closes to ease their attacking concerns.
that they have asked to take Wilfried Bony on loan until January, as they attempt to deal with the injury crisis at the club. The Ivorian is set for a mega money move to China at the beginning of 2017 and West Ham are hoping to take him on loan until then. He is unlikely to play again for Manchester City as he doesn’t suit Pep Guardiola’s style of play and a loan move to West Ham could suit all parties.
The Hammers will receive a proven Premier League striker to provide further depth to their squad until Ayew and Carroll return to full fitness, while Manchester City will be able to get him off their wage bill quicker than anticipated. For the player himself, he will get one final opportunity in the Premier League and get regular game-time to keep his match fitness up before his move to China. It is unusual for short term loan deals to be agreed between Premier League sides, but this is a rare occasion which makes a lot of sense.
He has had a disappointing spell at Manchester City, scoring just six league goals in 36 matches, but it always looked destined to fail. City don’t play a style that suits Wilfried Bony. He is best when he is the focal point of a side and allowed to play as an out-and-out striker. This wasn’t the case at City, as they expected him to drop deeper and play a part in the build-up play. Bony has never been good enough with his feet to effectively carry out that role.
Bony is a threat in the air and needs to be given service to thrive, which is why West Ham looks to be a perfect fit for him in the interim. They are stocked with creative midfielders and Bony would be a great rotational striker to cover for Andy Carroll when he is injured or rested. He is a similar profile to Carroll, therefore a change in style wouldn’t be required. This is important as it allows Slaven Bilic to stick to the same way of playing and prevents any confusion about the roles on the pitch.
Although he hasn’t had a good time at Manchester City, that doesn’t mean Wilfried Bony is now a bad striker. He was excellent at Swansea, scoring a goal every 151 minutes, which is a great return in the Premier League. The Ivorian is good at holding the ball up and offers a threat from set pieces. As well as his physical presence, Bony has a dangerous strike from range which is another weapon in his arsenal.
The need for striking options is evident in the West Ham squad, as they have suffered injuries and have an increased schedule this year with the Europa League. If they sign Wilfried Bony, it would be the perfect solution to their current concerns. They would be getting a striker good enough to score goals in the Premier League without having to bring a player permanently into the squad. If everybody is fit, West Ham have enough striking options, but that isn’t the case at the moment and they need to prevent it from getting any worse.
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