Graziano Pelle has been linked with a move to West Ham (Getty Images)
According to claims from Italian website Tuttomercato (h/t MSN), West Ham are weighing up a shock move for former Southampton striker Graziano Pelle in the January transfer window.
The former Italy international is currently a free agent following the expiry of his contract at Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng. Juventus and Inter Milan are among the Serie A outfits interested in snapping up the 35-year-old while the Hammers are also keen to offer him a return to English football. (Tuttomercato h/t MSN)
Pelle featured for a host of clubs in the top two divisions in Italy but never really managed to reach great heights in his homeland. His stint at AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands between 2007 and 2011 wasn’t particularly impressive either but the target man proved his worth after being offered a return to the Eredivisie by Feyenoord.
The towering marksman bagged eye-watering numbers of 55 goals in 66 appearances for Feyenoord over two seasons. Pelle’s prolific returns in the Netherlands prompted Southampton to take a punt on him in the summer of 2014 and the Italian striker went on to make a positive impression in English football, scoring 30 times in 81 appearances for the Saints.
Pelle moved to the Far East with Chinese outfit Shandong Luneng in 2016 and continued to deliver goals on a consistent basis. The veteran plundered 63 goals in 132 appearances for Luneng, firing them to the Chinese FA Cup crown in 2020. However, the former Italy international now looks set for a return to Europe at the twilight of his career following the expiry of his contract.
West Ham grabbing the opportunity to sign Graziano Pelle on a free transfer this month could be an excellent bit of business. The former Southampton star is undoubtedly at the fag end of his career at 35 but boasts enough experience and firepower to offer David Moyes some real depth and quality in front of goal.
The Hammers can certainly do with another striking option in their ranks. Michail Antonio started the campaign as the first-choice No.9 on the back of a brilliant run towards the end of the 2019-20 season. The 30-year-old seemed to have carried his rich vein of form into the ongoing campaign, scoring thrice in 7 league fixtures, before having his dream run thwarted by an injury.
Antonio’s absence from the mix over the past couple of months has forced Moyes to reinstate Sebastian Haller in the centre-forward role. The Frenchman has shown glimpses of his quality but hasn’t quite delivered the goals on a consistent basis. Haller has found the net just thrice in 16 PL appearances so far this season, thus epitomising the need for a new striker to beef up the forward line.
Pelle hardly fits the bill as a long-term option for West Ham, who have largely focused on bolstering the squad with relatively younger players like Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek in recent windows. Having said that, however, his past exploits in the Premier League at Southampton should convince Moyes that the Italian could offer real value for money, especially on a free transfer.
Graziano Pelle hit double figures in both his seasons at Southampton earlier in his career. Standing at 6ft 4in, the powerful Italian centre-forward proved himself to be a perfect fit for the rough-and-tough nature of the Premier League. With West Ham in need of more goals to push for a return to Europe, Pelle could be a useful asset to the club during a hectic second half of the season.
In truth, West Ham should take a page out of Tottenham’s books in their pursuit of Pelle. The Lilywhites signed Fernando Llorente in the twilight of his career a few years back and the Spaniard went on to score some match-winning goals for the club. Pelle fits the bill as a player in a similar mould and would offer West Ham more options up top.