Whilst most would agree that Jhon Duran was West Ham’s top striker target during the summer transfer window, Samu Omorodion was a serious contender too.
His name continually appeared in the column inches, particularly given that his physique, athleticism, and playing style seemed perfectly suited to the way the Hammers needed a striker to operate.
West Ham failed to follow up on their interest in the player, instead opting to point Tim Steidten’s private jet firmly in the direction of… erm… Birmingham Airport, in the hope of luring Jhon Duran from Aston Villa. The rest is history: Omorodion left Atletico Madrid for Porto after a brief flirtation with Chelsea, and that was seemingly the end of the story… or so we thought.
The Hammers missed out on the transfer of Duran, who stayed at Villa despite making overtures to Irons fans with his crossed-arm tease, and he has been banging in the goals ever since. However, just as the Colombian was being hailed as the best young striker in Europe, Omorodion appears to have said “hold my beer,” making his own claim.
Omorodion has wasted no time making his mark at Porto, netting seven goals in just six appearances across all competitions. Among his standout performances was a remarkable brace against Manchester United in the Europa League. The 20-year-old striker has now further bolstered his growing reputation, scoring a ridiculous four goals in the first half of Spain Under-21s’ clash with Malta.
Ouch! Whisper it quietly, but West Ham may have missed out on the two best young strikers in Europe.
