David Moyes has praised summer signing Gianluca Scamacca - but stopped short of comparing him to former West Ham United attacker Marko Arnautovic.
Scamacca has made a positive start to life in English football, netting six goals in all competitions so far this season since joining from Sassuolo for a reporter £30.5million.
The Italian is West Ham’s top goalscorer, ahead of established names including Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio who have both started the season poorly by their recent standards.
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Despite spending two years in east London between 2017-2019, the Austrian international Arnautovic only spent one season under Moyes’ management, but left a lasting impression on the 59-year-old.
Now playing in Serie A for Bologna, having been linked with a shock summer move to Manchester United failing during the summer transfer window, Arnautovic left West Ham to play in the Chinese Super League and Moyes said the striker is one of a kind.
“I don’t think you’ll get many Marko's, he was a one off," said Moyes. "Marko was a great guy, I really got on well with him and liked him a lot because he sort of challenged me, I sort of challenged him back.
“He stood up to me and showed me that all of the things I didn’t think he could do, he did do. He went on to do them really well and has continued to do them well.”
“Gianluca is interesting because he's a really good lad, a really nice lad. He's got some great traits - lots of really good hold up play, stature, can score with his head, got good feet, close control. He’s got a cannon in his right foot, so he’s got an awful lot of traits that make you go ‘wow.’
“He’s got a lot of things which I think he could do better. I think he needs to get in the box quicker. Sometimes he’s laboured outside, but I think that’s partly because he’s nearly hoping he gets it outside because he’s got a boom of a right foot.
“His movement is good, there's bits that I think he can look at which we’re going to show him and we think we can help him, but he's a really good character. I keep saying this, to find really good young centre forwards nowadays is really hard.
“It’s so difficult nowadays to get someone who can come in and make a difference as a centre forward, it's really really hard. (Harry) Kane’s and there’s some really special centre forwards, (Erling) Haaland, (Gabriel) Jesus at Arsenal are all special.
“To get one like that is really, really hard so we’re hoping that he’s going to get better and the big thing about him is he’s really all ears, everything at the moment is exciting to him in the Premier League and new.”
Moyes was speaking to the press ahead of Thursday night’s Europa Conference League match against Silkeborg. The Hammers have a perfect record in Group B to date with four wins from four.
Moroccan international Nayef Ageurd could make his debut after joining in the summer, although is unlikely to start. He’s been sidelined since preseason after surgery on an ankle injury.
Maxwel Cornet is definitely out with a calf issue. There are also doubts around Craig Dawson, Lucas Pacqueta and Bowen.
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