Why Loic Remy isn’t the answer for West Ham – he could be the next Andy Carroll

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The Chelsea striker has been linked with a move to Slaven Bilic’s new side. Surely other alternatives would be better for West Ham?

According to the Independent (among many other outlets), Chelsea forward Loic Remy is an £8 million target for Slaven Bilic at West Ham United.

The Frenchman is a top-class finisher, a great overall striker and, reputation-wise, a player that may just appeal to a number of West Ham fans.

The problem, however, and there’s a glaring one, isn’t to do with Remy’s finishing or ability to find the net. It’s his longevity, as last season at Stamford Bridge proved.

Indeed, the 28-year-old may have grown frustrated with a bit-part role at Chelsea but his fitness woes suggest that is the perfect role for him. Remy failed a medical at Liverpool before joining the Blues and suffered frequent injury problems thereafter in west London.

As Opta stats show, even Didier Drogba played more league minutes than him last term, while a number of West Ham forwards did the same (Mauro Zarate aside!).

West Ham do already have Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia but, for £8m, surely the Hammers would want someone who is capable of going a whole season injury-free? After all, they already have a striker in a similar boat with Andy Carroll.

And Remy could very well be the next Carroll, meaning the east London side would have two first-team forwards incapable of chipping in for the majority of the Premier League campaign, leaving them as threadbare as they were during the second half of last term despite strengthening their squad.

While the Chelsea man is a phenomenal goalscorer, then, who has a superb ratio of goals per minute, he just wouldn’t be able to put that many minutes in at Upton Park. Surely that makes alternative options more desirable?