£120kp/w wage demands untrue with West Ham target King desperate for action – report
Reported West Ham target Josh King is not looking for £120,000-a-week wages and is focused on finding regular game time at the right club, per The Athletic.
King has been linked with a move to the London Stadium in January with the Irons desperate to offer Michail Antonio some competition and back-up after the departure of club-record signing Sebastien Haller to Ajax.
Antonio remains the only senior striking option at the club and it would be a risky move by the club not to bring in reinforcements in this area with the 30-year-old’s injury issues this season which has seen him miss eight Premier League games already.
Therefore a move for King makes a whole lot of sense given the Norwegian international’s propensity to operate as a mobile centre forward who likes to play on the shoulder of defences just like Antonio.
One sticking point could have been his wage demands with Andriy Yarmolenko currently the only West Ham player to be on six figures a week (£115,000 – spotrac).
However, in confirming that Burnley have had some communication regarding a move for King (but crucially no discussions with Bournemouth), The Athletic’s Andy King reports that “it is understood King is not looking for the £120,000-a-week wages that have been reported.”
Antonio alternative required
If wages were indeed a sticking point for West Ham then perhaps this news should act as a springboard for them to make a formal approach for King.
Landing a top centre forward in January is a herculean task for a club without an open cheque book so the chance to steal a Premier League proven striker should be seen as a sizeable opportunity for the Irons.
With Antonio’s aforementioned injury problems there is a real dearth of options to replace him if the worst, or perhaps inevitable, occurs.
He made his third successive start against West Brom on Tuesday which probably explains his withdrawal ten minutes before the end of the game as Moyes bids to keep him fit and fresh.
Captain Mark Noble was sent on for him and slotted into the midfield so it was left to winger Jarrod Bowen to take up the central role for the last stages of the match as West Ham saw out their 2-1 lead to record a fourth successive victory.
Bowen has the pace to hurt defences in behind but he is not a natural centre forward and taking him away from the wing would be damaging two positions in one go with the Hammers lacking another wide man that offers his speed on the flanks.
With less than two weeks of the window remaining West Ham need to be quick in their attempts to bring a striker to the club.
With 48 Premier League career goals to his name, King might just be the answer.
In other West Ham news, our view on how Moyes has turned the tide to be deserving of a new deal.