Jonty Banks

Tue 14 March 2023 11:10, UK

Jim White has questioned whether West Ham United signed a “dud” in £35.5million striker Gianluca Scamacca last summer, live on talkSPORT.

The Italian forward has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons lately, with Hammers manager David Moyes insisting his “physical data” is falling short of standards, and this is the reason he has been confined to a spot on the bench since returning from injury. [Daily Mail, 12 March]

The 24-year-old’s struggles have hit boiling point off the pitch as well, with World Soccer Agency ditching the forward as a client in a statement that said there was “trust issues” between the two parties. [Fabrizio Romano, 28 February]

Speaking live on talkSPORT’s White and Jordan (Tuesday 14 March, 10:06), White questioned whether West Ham had been smart in signing Scamacca from Sassuolo for a marquee fee of £35.5million last summer.

He said: “Have West Ham signed a dud in Gianluca Scamacca?”

Haller 2.0

When Scamacca made his move from Sassuolo to the London Stadium last summer, the striker certainly wouldn’t have seen this car crash of a season coming.

The 24-year-old has gone from bad to worse under Moyes, with his split from his agency due to trust issues confirming that all is not well in the Scamacca camp.

It feels all too similar to Sebastien Haller’s brief and unsuccessful stint in East London. Both forward’s have a similar playing style, are tall and imposing but struggled to fit into Moyes’ tactical framework.

In the end, Haller departed for Ajax and started scoring goals for fun in the Champions League. You can’t help but feel that this could be the fate of Scamacca as well.

Unless West Ham United can get a tune out of the Italian international pretty soon, a summer exit back to the Serie A could be on the cards. This signing has been a disaster from start to finish, and the Hammers will be extremely tempted to call it quits with the forward if a strong offer arrives at the end of the season.