West Ham are in hunt to sign striker who Declan Rice said ‘is just like Harry Kane’
West Ham United are working on a number of potential moves ahead of the January transfer window.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are three points adrift of safety in the Premier League, and will need to reinforce their squad for the second half of the campaign.
Specifically, West Ham are in desperate need of a goalscoring number nine, who can boost them out of the relegation zone.
Niclas Fullkrug looks set to leave in January, and the Hammers could replace him with a striker who has been likened to Harry Kane in the past.
West Ham eye former Premier League star Ivan Toney
Callum Wilson has been in good form for West Ham since the appointment of Nuno, but the Portuguese manager is clearly not a huge fan of the former Newcastle United striker.
Wilson was left on the bench for the first three games of Nuno’s reign, eventually forcing himself into the side.
In their search for a new centre-forward, West Ham have been linked with Ivan Toney, who could be open to a Premier League return in the January transfer window.
The 29-year-old moved to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli in the summer of 2024, after a fruitful spell at Brentford in the top flight.
One man who knows all about Toney’s ability is former Hammers captain Declan Rice, and the midfielder is a big fan of his England teammate.
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This is what Declan Rice has said about Ivan Toney
Rice and Toney have been playing together for a number of years at international level, across six different England camps.
Speaking back in 2022, the Arsenal man revealed that Toney reminded him of Kane, in the way that he drops in and links the play, rather than being just a goalscorer.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Rice said: “He’s like Kane where he’s not just an out-and-out striker, but a playmaker too. His left foot and right foot passing, how he picks out teammates is a special technique.”
Toney would be a risky signing for West Ham, as even on loan, it would cost the East London side a huge sum to bring him in.
However, the former Brentford man is a proven Premier League goalscorer, and if the Hammers want to maintain their top-flight status, they may be forced to bite the bullet.
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