West Ham banking on ONE thing happening as Marko Arnautovic replacement identified
WEST HAM are waiting to see if Celta Vigo are relegated from La Liga before launching a bargain swoop on striker Maxi Gomez to potentially replace Marko Arnautovic.
That was because they did not need to sign a replacement for Arnautovic, who opted to stay in east London rather than head to China.
West Ham are aware that Vigo could well be relegated in the summer and will sweat it out to see if they can land the 22-year-old for a cut-price fee.
The Daily Star add that the Hammers will offer Gomez an £80,000-a-week contract, effectively doubling his current wages.
West Ham news: Maxi Gomez has a £43m release clause (Image: GETTY)
West Ham news: Maxi Gomez's release clause will be halved if Celta Vigo are relegated (Image: GETTY)
And that would allow them to fill the void Arnautovic would leave behind, if he gets his wish to leave West Ham.
It is also claimed that strikers Lucas Perez and Andy Carroll could both leave at the end of the season.
Neither man has particularly shone at London Stadium, with Carroll’s stint dogged by injuries.
The future of another forward - Javier Hernandez - is also in the air.
The Mexico international is under contract at West Ham until the end of next season.
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West Ham news: Andy Carroll could be offloaded (Image: GETTY)
West Ham news: The future of Javier Hernandez is not secure (Image: GETTY)
West Ham news: Maxi Gomez could replace Marko Arnautovic (Image: GETTY)
At the age of 30, he still possesses a reasonable transfer value and West Ham may look to sell the ex-Manchester United star rather than lose him for nothing 12 months down the line.
Hernandez is expected to start for West Ham against Everton this weekend.
And he revealed his determined to haul the Hammers into European contention this spring.
“I want to try to get West Ham to seventh position and into Europe – that’s the most important thing in our minds,” he said.
“If I keep playing as many minutes as I can and help with assists, goals and performances that’s my goal in the last games we have left.”