West Ham United submitted a bid worth £20million to sign Lorient striker Terem Moffi earlier this week, rising to £25m in potential add-ons.
The 23-year-old has had an impressive season in Ligue 1, with 12 league goals making him the division’s joint top scorer, just one goal behind Paris Saint-Germain star and 2022 World Cup golden boot winner Kylian Mbappe.
Reports have suggested that Moffi is keen to stay in France, with Nice said to be interested in him. A lot of change is going on at present in West Ham’s forward line, with Danny Ings close to joining the Hammers from Aston Villa and Michail Antonio linked with interest from both Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton.
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If West Ham did complete a move for Moffi, what would he add, what are his strengths and weaknesses, and would the London Stadium be a good fit? football.london spoke to Kris Carpenter (@KC_Runz on Twitter) from the French Football Weekly (@FrenchFTWeekly) podcast for an insight on the Nigerian international.
How impressive has Terem Moffi been this season?
"He's been fantastic this term. Off the back of a good spell last season where he notched eight goals in 37 appearances this season, he has developed and kicked on in his all-round game resulting in 12 goals in 18 games already this season and off the back of this, for the 23-year-old has been fully capped by his country Nigeria. He has led the line for Lorient under new coach Regis Le Bris and his goals have in no small part contributed to Les Merlus best season in many years in Ligue 1."
A lot of his goals have come inside the penalty area, is he very much a fox in the box/poacher type of striker?
"Yes, absolutely. He is your classic centre forward but we shouldn't underestimate his pace and direct running as well, which often leads to assists or second assists to team mates. The majority of his goals are powerful strikes from within the 18-yard box, most recently his volley against Olympique Marseille directly from a corner at the weekend shows this off perfectly. He has the ability to find space in congested areas & is known to get shots away at every chance he gets."
As well as goals, what else does he contribute?
"I mentioned it briefly in the last answer but he is very under-rated in my opinion for the assisting elements of his game & hard work off the ball. He makes clever runs on the shoulders of defenders and will often be seen tracking back into midfield to help out his colleagues in retaining or winning the ball back. That said, he is a classic striker who you would put in a team simply to be the No.9 ideally."
What are his main strengths and weaknesses?
"The answer is in the question a little here, strength, pace, power and directness are huge areas of his game. With a low centre of gravity mixed with an explosive first five-ten yards of speed, he has the ability to get away from defenders in counter attacking plays whilst also being robust enough to hold off defenders or hold up the ball.
"If he went to West Ham for example, he would provide Michail Antonio like qualities in his build and power. Weakness wise, he can be a little selfish in shooting from all angles, but at 23 years of age this can be coached in my view. Some would say he needs to be more clinical but playing for a club of Lorient's size he's carrying a lot of goal-scoring responsibility, which often means he has the highest turnover of shots."
Do you think he is ready for the Premier League and do you think he would adjust quickly?
"Personally yes, I liken him to Leicester City's signing of Patson Daka, he will take some time to adapt to the Premier League, but given how physical and hard-running Ligue 1 is, my view is that Moffi will be ready sooner than later and could make a five to eight goal contribution to any potential suitor for the remainder of the season."
How good is he in the air?
"At just under 6ft 2ins, he offers a good aerial option especially from dead ball situations, his stocky build makes him the type of player who isn't afraid to put his head (or body) into the positions where he will grab a goal despite taking a knock in doing so."
Does he have a record for getting injured a lot?
"In short, no. Since arriving from Kortrijk in the summer of 2021 he has played 32, 37 & to date 18 of Lorient’s 19 league games this season. His build often means he shakes off knocks quickly and is more likely to play than not."
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