If Munas Dabbur wants to make Europa League history and steal the crown worn with pride by Radamel Falcao, then staying in Germany is probably the best option.
According to Transfer20, David Moyes is a big fan of this old-school ‘fox in the box’ and felt that he was the man to shake up the West Ham coop.
The Hammers boss, it was said, believed Dabbur’s predatory instincts would offer something a little different to the power of Michail Antonio and the height of Sebastian Haller.
Hoffenheim’s Israel international is not the strongest, nor the tallest. But, when the ball drops inside the penalty area, you would put your house on Dabbur reacting quicker than anyone else on the pitch.
His first of two goals in the 5-0 thrashing of Slovan Liberec yesterday was typical of the man. Controlling a cross under pressure, he skipped away from one challenge with supreme composure before slotting home in style.
Then again, we have come to expect brilliantly taken goals like this from Dabbur in the Europa League. Thursday night is his night.
So much so that, with that brace against Liberec – his fourth in three group-stage matches – Hoffenheim’s £10 million poacher is quickly closing in on Falcao’s all-time Europa League record.
Only the legendary Colombian (30) and the now-retired Aritz Aduriz (26), have scored more times in the Europa League than Dabbur (22).
With Hoffenheim becoming regulars in Europe’s secondary club competition, a man who fired Red Bull Salzburg to the semi-finals in 2018, hitting the net 12 times along the way, should have plenty of chances to usurp Falcao’s throne.
If Dabbur wants his place in history, then West Ham don’t have a hope in hell of luring him away from his Sinsheim home.
The Hammers may be flying high under Moyes, but that humiliating qualification defeat to Astra Girgiu in 2016 remains the closest they have come to gracing a competition Dabbur has made his own.
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