GSB must complete WHU swoop for “unbelievable” £31.5m-rated star, Moyes will love him - opinion

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested that West Ham United should make a move for Ollie Watkins, amid recent reports linking the Aston Villa striker to the club.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, O’Rourke insisted that the England international could be the answer to the Hammers’ centre-forward problem, having failed to secure an adequate understudy or upgrade to current leading man, Michail Antonio.

The respected journalist said of a move for the 26-year-old that: “We all know that West Ham need a striker, they’ve needed one for the last three of four transfer windows and have not brought one in, so landing someone like Ollie Watkins would be a great signing for them.”

Reports last month suggested that the former Brentford man had emerged as David Moyes’ top striking target ahead of this summer, having previously failed to bring in a new addition in January.

Amid all the fanfare surrounding the club’s continued rise – both domestically and in Europe – there is still a nagging feeling that the London Stadium outfit have left themselves short in attack, with the over-reliance on the aforementioned Antonio potentially set to come back to bite them.

The versatile speedster has continued to impress in a loan striking berth – and is the club’s top scorer in the Premier League era – although the goals have dried up after an initial flurry at the start of the campaign, with his last top-flight strike having come back on New Year’s Day against Crystal Palace.

Watkins himself may not be a prolific presence either, with just nine league goals so far this season, although he would offer some much-needed competition in the forward ranks, as well as similar attributes to Moyes’ current option.

The Villa man – who has been dubbed