West Ham target Leipzig a striker as short-term fix for attacking woes | OneFootball

West Ham United have added RB Leipzig striker Andre Silva to their shortlist of potential attacking reinforcements as they scramble to bolster their forward options this month, the Guardian reports.

The Hammers desperately more firepower after losing Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen and Niclas Fullkrug, so they’re exploring their options on the transfer market.

Antonio is ruled out for the remainder of the season after sustaining a broken leg in a severe car accident last month.

Fullkrug is sidelined with a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out for several weeks, although there’s some positive news on Bowen, who is recovering from a broken foot.

The Hammers skipper could return in early February, but manager Graham Potter has stressed the need to ease him in to avoid a setback.

Bowen is naturally a winger but also has plenty of experience leading the line. He did so under former manager David Moyes, so his early return would be a huge boost for Potter.

Silva has emerged as a potential candidate for West Ham. The 29-year-old has struggled for playing time after falling behind Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda in the pecking order.

He has scored just once in 15 games across all competitions, but West Ham are exploring a potential loan move for the former AC Milan striker.

West Ham can’t afford to make knee-jerk decisions

West Ham are desperate to sign a striker this month, but they need to make sure they don’t rush into a reckless decision.

Silva is vastly experienced, but his paltry goalscoring record over the past couple of years should send a note of caution to the recruitment team.

The Portuguese striker is way past his prime and should be seen as nothing more than a stop-gap solution to the attacking crisis at West Ham.

Potter has already proven he has the tactical flexibility to adapt to the current situation after leading the Hammers to a crucial 3-2 win over Fulham in his Premier League debut.

Rather than deploying Danny Ings up front, he tasked Lucas Paqueta with leading the line, and the Brazilian emerged as the match-winner.