Anthony Onifade

Sun 11 June 2023 9:40, UK

Italian outfit AS Roma have made contact to sign West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamcca on loan this summer which leaves David Moyes with a huge job on his hands to revamp his strikeforce.

West Ham ended their 43-year wait for a major trophy with a memorable 2-1 win over Fiorentina at the Fortuna Arena in Prague [7 June], lifting their first major honour since 1980.

As the celebrations run on much work will be needed to be done behind the scenes for the Hammers to avoid another disappointing Premier League campaign as they look to return to the top end of the league table.

West Ham United are resigned to losing a significant number of their key stars this summer, not least club captain Declan Rice who is attracting plenty of interest from Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Manchester United as he goes in search of Champions League football next season.

According to The Telegraph [8 June], the Gunners have moved a step closer to completing a £92m deal for the England star, which means West Ham United face a tough task this summer trying to fill the gaping hole Rice is about to leave.

The Hammers have indeed identified a number of candidates to replace him, but there are no guarantees whether they can secure the ideal successor with plenty of the elite clubs around Europe desperately on the prowl for defensive midfielders which means West Ham must be meticulous and swift in their transfer approach.

However, replacing Rice won’t be the only problem and priority for David Moyes and his backroom staff after news emerged on Friday [9 June].

West Ham United look set to lose two of their strikers this summer which leaves another potentially significant hole to fill.

According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio [9 June], AS Roma have identified West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamacca as an option to replace the injured Tammy Abraham and have made contact for a loan deal.

The Irons splashed £35m on the Italy international last summer, but he has struggled with injuries this season and managed just eight goals in his debut campaign before suffering a season-ending knee trouble in April.

West Ham United have been guilty of wasting money by signing huge striker flops in recent years, and it seems as though the former Sassuolo man is another victim of the Hammers striker curse, as he looks set to depart the London Stadium to return back to his homeland.

To make matters worse, fan-favourite Michail Antonio also looks set to depart East London this leaving Moyes with another potential hole to fill in order for the club to be fully stocked and armed for another Premier League campaign.

Given the potential windfall they’re about to receive for Rice’s services this summer, it is indeed set to be an intriguing and busy summer at the London Stadium and it is easy to see why they are being linked with such telling names like Fulham’s Joao Palhinha or Ajax’s Edson Alvarez to replace Rice.

The irons can ill-afford to get a taste of the same fate Tottenham suffered when they sold Gareth Bale to Real Madrid in 2013, spending the £100m windfall aimlessly and suffering the damaging consequences down the line.

It’s no wonder why the Hammers are on the prowl for a transfer chief or director of football in order to gain a better insight into what is set to be one of the biggest markets in recent history – the kind of help and information Moyes desperately requires right now.

After such a disastrous Premier League campaign last season, the West Ham United faithful will be keeping a firm eye on how the club respond to Rice’s departure and how they can build on their historic European success.

With all that in mind, the summer of 2023 is arguably the biggest in recent memory for the Irons.

Should Moyes remain in the job this summer, he will surely be left with much work to do in order to not only replace his key stars but also ensure that West Ham United are well equipped to compete with the elite both domestically and in Europe next season.

No pressure.