As West Ham United’s latest batch of strikers continue to struggle we look at the 30 forwards signed by owners David Sullivan and David Gold.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic speaks with flop Simone Zaza
West Ham‘s failure to land a “marquee” striker this summer has been brought sharply into focus by a torrid season so far for Slaven Bilic’s side.
The Hammers sit 17th in the Premier League table just one point and one place above the relegation zone.
But perhaps the most damning statistic so far is that not one of Bilic’s strikers has scored this season, 17 competitive games in.
A dejected Zaza
It is a far cry from last term when West Ham enjoyed their best ever points total of the Premier League era, recorded a first positive goal difference since 1986 and finished just four points off the Champions League places in their emotional farewell campaign at Upton Park.
Since then a huge turnaround of nearly 20 players has seen the squad transformed with 13 new signings – 10 for the first team.
Under pressure Bilic
Despite co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold bizarrely announcing to the world they were willing to spend over £30million on a striker who could get 20 goals, Bilic ended up with flop Simone Zaza on loan from Juventus as their big name signing.
Ashley Fletcher, Jonathan Calleri and Andre Ayew were the other strikers signed and the four players have one thing in common, none of them have scored for their new club while Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho have both been injured and Enner Valencia packed off on loan to Everton.
It is a sorry state of affairs for the East Londoners but nothing new to Hammers fans who are accustomed to seeing their owners fail time and again to land a top quality forward.
West Ham co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold
Since taking over the club in 2010 Sullivan and Gold have signed 30 forwards, which we have listed here below.
In return for estimated outlay of more than £90 million – including probable loan fees – West Ham have scored just 115 goals in six years and around 300 matches.
While the likes of Ayew and Fletcher could yet prove to be shrewd buys, the jury is still out on both and given the club’s record things don’t look too promising.
Mido during his West Ham days
FROM MIDO TO ZAZA THE LIST IN FULL:
Pablo Berrera – £4m – 0 goals.
Wellington Paulista – loan – 0 goals.
Ilan – free – 4 goals.
Mido – loan – 0 goals.
Demba Ba – undisclosed (thought to be £3m) – 7 goals.
Carlton Cole – free (signed under Sullivan and Gold for a second time in 2013) – 8 goals.
Robbie Keane – loan – 2 goals.
Benni McCarthy – £3m – 0 goals.
Victor Obinna – loan – 3 goals.
Frederic Piquionne – £2m – 8 goals.
Sam Baldock – £3m – 5 goals.
John Carew – free – 2 goals.
Nicky Maynard – £2.5m – 2 goals.
Brian Montenegro – loan – 0 goals.
Frank Nouble – free – 1 goal.
Ricardo Vaz Te – £500k – 15 goals.
Andy Carroll – £18m – 23 goals.
Modibo Maiga – £5.5m – 4 goals.
Marco Borriello – loan – 0 goals.
Diafra Sakho – £3m – 15 goals.
Enner Valencia – £12m – 8 goals.
Mauro Zarate – free – 5 goals.
Emmanuel Emenike – loan – 2 goals.
Nikica Jelavic – £2.5m – 2 goals.
Victor Moses – loan – 1 goal.
Andre Ayew – £20m – 0 goals.
Jonathan Calleri – loan – 0 goals.
Ashley Fletcher – free – 0 goals.
Simone Zaza – loan with obligation to buy for £25m – 0 goals.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
