West Ham Pursue “Ice Cold” Andre Silva as Striker Option

West Ham United are reportedly in talks to sign RB Leipzig striker Andre Silva as they look to strengthen their attacking options this January transfer window. The Portuguese forward is being considered as an alternative to Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi.

With injuries to Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug leaving West Ham short of strikers, manager Graham Potter is keen to bring in a new center forward. Silva, who has struggled for regular playing time at Leipzig this season, could provide the clinical finishing and link-up play Potter desires.

The 28-year-old Silva previously excelled in the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring 45 goals in 71 appearances. His former manager Adi Hutter described him as “ice cold” in front of goal, comparing his composure to Robert Lewandowski.

While Silva has only managed one goal in limited minutes for Leipzig this term, his underlying statistics remain impressive. He is generating 0.41 expected goals per 90 minutes – on par with Awoniyi and better than Fullkrug’s output for West Ham so far.

The main area where Silva falls short of Fullkrug is aerial duels won, but this is from a much smaller sample size. Both Silva and Awoniyi have proven aerial ability in the past.

Whether West Ham ultimately pursue Silva, Awoniyi or another target, bringing in a striker who can serve as a focal point and chip in with goals appears to be a priority. With Europa League football to contend with as well, adding depth up front could be crucial for the Hammers in the second half of the season.