It’s still too early to label him as a flop but the signals aren’t encouraging for West Ham United striker Simone Zaza. The 25-year-old has struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League under coach Slaven Bilic which could see him leave the Hammers in January. After failing to score in his opening nine appearances for the East London club, the agreement in place between them and Juventus is that a fee of £17 million must be paid if he makes one more appearance for the club.
 

It’s for the very reason stated above that could prove decisive in deciding the player’s future. If Zaza makes an appearance against Stoke City this weekend, he will become the property of West Ham and Juventus will then be taken out of the equation.  

Waiting in the wings are Milan. The rossoneri were already linked with a move in the summer but the problem represented by the price meant there interest waned. Now with new Chinese investment coming into the club and with none of Montella’s three existing strikers, Bacca, Lapadula and Luiz Adriano untouchable, it could be the right moment for another assault. Milan may even try to take the Italian international on an initial loan-deal with a view to making the move permanent next summer.


By Federico Zanon. Translated by Steve Mitchell