West Ham United have reportedly made three bids for Brentford striker Scott Hogan.
Former West Ham United striker Dean Ashton has suggested that the Hammers should perhaps have one concern in their pursuit of Scott Hogan, Sky Sports reports.
The Irons’ current forwards have struggled for goals this term, so it is perhaps no surprise that Slaven Bilic is keen to bolster his attacking ranks during the January transfer window.
The man that appears to be at the top of Bilic’s list of targets is the Brentford star, who is enjoying a sensational season in the Championship, having scored 14 goals in 25 games. Sky Sports reports that West Ham have made three bids for the 24-year-old, with the most recent offer worth £12 million.
Brentford’s Scott Hogan
And while Ashton suggested that his lack of Premier League experience will not necessarily be a problem, he admitted that Hogan’s career record may make the deal slightly more of a gamble.
“There’s nothing wrong with looking at players from the lower leagues or the Championship because I came from the Championship to play for West Ham,” he told Sky Sports.
“At his age, he has shown unbelievable promise. You don’t score 14 league goals this season unless you’re a decent striker who knows where the back of the net is.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
“The only issue for me is he has only really done it this season. He did it a little last year but before that he was at Rochdale. He scored goals there but we are talking about a lower level.”
Though Hogan may not be the marquee striker that West Ham fans crave, the emergence of the likes of Rickie Lambert and Jamie Vardy over the last few years has proved that strikers who are prolific in non-league and at the lower levels are more than capable of demonstrating their ruthless instinct in the top flight.
So while it may be a gamble to pursue Hogan, it may prove to be a gamble that reaped plenty of rewards.
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