Report: West Ham scout 14-goal Reims striker Boulaye Dia
West Ham have scouted Reims striker Boulaye Dia last season and the French club could look to cash in on him this summer.
According to The Athletic, the striker who scored 14 Ligue 1 goals last season, hit a barren run toward the end of the season with only two strikes in 19 appearances.
The French side are afraid that if he starts next season in bad form, they will have lost the chance to make a huge profit from his sale.
The report states that his end of season form has led to a drop in interest and Rennes could look to sell him this summer.
An intermediary close to the French club said, “Reims could look and say, ‘His price might depreciate if he starts badly next year’.”
Better options there
Dia is exactly the signing we would’ve made in the past as his numbers appear to be decent and there’s a buzz surrounding his talents in Ligue 1.
But, if one digs below the surface, it’s glaringly visible that the 24-year-old is not a consistent performer and would struggle to be the 20-goal striker we so desperately need.
When compared to all strikers in Europe’s top leagues, the numbers for the Senegal international are grim, to say the least.
His non-penalty xG return of 0.29 per game put him in the 26th percentile while his average of under 2 shots per 90 minutes finds him sitting in the 15th percentile – which is remarkably low. [StatsBomb]
This suggests that even though he plays for one of the weaker French sides, he’s unable to find himself in goal-scoring positions. He’s also not the best aerially which is something we’ve relied on strikers being under David Moyes.
There are too many reasons for us not to pursue his services this summer and we’re hoping that the club are wise and stay away from it.
In other West Ham news, ‘Top quality’ – West Ham Super Fans react to transfer update on striker ‘Worth £50m if fit’
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