MY ACCOUNT
It could be third time lucky for Gerard Deulofeu in the Premier League with West Ham keen on the Udinese forward.
According to reports in Italy, the Hammers are lining up a move for the former Watford and Everton attacker, currently plying his trade in Serie A with the Zebrette.
With Andriy Yarmolenko set to leave the London Stadium when his contract expires at the end of the season, there is likely to be a vacancy up front.
So, could Deulofeu be the man for David Moyes? And what would he bring to West Ham’s attacking ranks?
Ahead of this afternoon’s meeting with Everton, we take a closer look.
One more shot
In October 2020, Deulofeu followed in the footsteps of Roberto Pereyra, Stefano Okaka and plenty of others by joining Udinese from Watford.
Initially, it was a loan deal following their relegation to the Championship before becoming permanent last January.
After a slow start as he recovered from a serious knee injury — he found the net only once in 597 Serie A minutes last season — Deulofeu seems to be enjoying his football in Italy.
So far this term, the Spaniard has scored nine goals, averaging one every 209 minutes. Add in his two assists and he averages a goal involvement better than once every other game.
A mercurial player, Deulofeu has yet to make an indelible mark on the Premier League. But, having only just turned 28, it is not too late for another crack.
Brilliant but frustrating
Deulofeu’s time at Watford — who he joined in 2018 following a brief return to first club Barcelona — was probably the best spell of his career.
Nonetheless, he did not buzz for the Hornets on a regular enough basis, proving brilliant and frustrating in almost equal measure.
His most memorable moment for the Hertfordshire side was his FA Cup semi-final display against Wolves in 2019, coming off the bench to score a stunner, win a penalty and then claim an extra-time winner.
But the very fact he was benched for the club’s biggest game of the season speaks volumes for his inconsistency. A lack of work rate is another blot on Deulofeu’s record.
Physically different
If Deulofeu is to succeed Yarmolenko, then one has to ask whether he would be an adequate replacement for the Ukrainian.
In terms of goals, Yarmolenko comes out on top, scoring 156 over the course of his career at an average of one every 2.84 games.
Deulofeu has scored 72 at an average of one every 4.48 games.
That must be caveated with the fact Yarmolenko has made the bulk of his appearances in the comparatively weak Ukrainian Premier League.
There is no caveating Yarmolenko’s physicality though, and Deulofeu certainly would not replace him as a robust, destructive presence in the final third.
A long-standing need
As much as Deulofeu could replace Yarmolenko as a wide attacking option, he can equally be deployed as a centre-forward — that is how he has been used recently.
For a while, West Ham have been over reliant on Michail Antonio in that position, and Moyes has previously expressed his frustration at not being able to strengthen there.
Speaking in January, he said: “We have been trying to get someone who can compete with [Antonio] for two years. It is hard to bring in centre-forwards.”
Moyes added: “I want to bring players in, but I am not going to do it for the sake of it.”
The best option?
Deulofeu would bring a new dimension to West Ham’s attacking unit with his guile and invention.
With Udinese said to value him at around the £17million mark, a deal would not break the bank either.
A proven Premier League performer who can play in a number of roles, Deulofeu has even been capped by Spain and turned out for Barcelona across two spells.
At his best he is direct, tricky, able to beat a man or create something out of nothing.
His ability is not in doubt — but any deal would be a gamble.
