West Ham Opinion: Why Aleksandar Mitrovic will be an ideal fit for West Ham
According to a report from Football.London, West Ham were linked with a January swoop for Fulham hitman Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The Serbian, 24, has been one of the rare bright sparks for Fulham in an otherwise miserable campaign in the Premier League.
Aleksandar Mitrovic has shown that he is capable of playing well at this level and there will be plenty of suitors for him if Fulham go down at the end of the season, which looks very likely after their last weekend’s defeat against Liverpool.
That being said, should West Ham plot a summer move for the 24-year-old centre-forward this summer?
Absolutely! West Ham were set to lose Marko Arnautovic to an unnamed Chinese club in January before the Austrian made a U-turn and signed a one-year contract extension at the London Stadium.
Despite penning a new contract, there’s an air of uncertainty that Arnautovic will leave the club at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Andy Carroll is out of contract at West Ham in June and chances of him earning an extension have seemingly dried up after the 30-year-old injured his ankle once again.
Javier Hernandez has struggled this season with only eight goals in 25 games, while Lucas Perez remains out of favour under Pellegrini.
Considering West Ham’s current situation, signing a centre-forward is a must if Pellegrini is to challenge the Premier League’s Big Six next term. And Mitrovic would fit the bill perfectly at the London Stadium.
A big, burly and physical centre-forward, Mitrovic has been almost unplayable when he is on song this season. He is an old-fashioned centre-forward who excels in the holding the ball up and bringing his teammates into the game.
The 24-year-old is hard as a nail, difficult to dispossess and an all-day threat in the box.
Mitrovic is fantastic in the air and his ability to link-up play and swiftly run in the box hoping for a cross make him such a difficult player to mark. The former Anderlecht and Newcastle United man is also a composed finisher in front of goal.
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One of his biggest strengths up top is his anticipation as he drives into the box and has the ability to take a shot on from a pass or cross and find the back of the net in a blink of an eye.
Conclusion
Mitrovic is known for his aggression and physicality and can provide quality and depth up front for Pellegrini’s West Ham.
With Carroll’s contract expiring in June and possibility of Arnautovic leaving if a bigger club comes calling, the Hammers desperately need another forward who can cause defences problems in a physical manner.
And Pellegrini can do a lot worse than sign a Premier League proven forward, Mitrovic.
