West Ham’s biggest problem this season has been obvious — goals.
Niclas Füllkrug’s poor form and now injury, the departure of Michail Antonio, and the fact that Lucas Paquetá leads the scoring charts with just three goals tells its own story.
Callum Wilson, the club’s only senior attacking signing of the summer, has chipped in with one strike, but with his age and injury history, the Hammers can hardly pin all their hopes on him long term.
That’s why Graham Potter and his recruitment team had been scouring the market for additional firepower.
And one name firmly on their radar was RC Strasbourg forward Emanuel Emegha. According to Hammers News, the Hammers were keen on signing the Dutch star during the summer, but that opportunity has now come and gone.
Chelsea Seal Emegha Deal
Instead, it’s Chelsea who have swooped in.
The Blues confirmed a pre-agreement for the 22-year-old, who will remain at Strasbourg until 2026 before making the switch to Stamford Bridge on a seven-year deal.
The Netherlands U21 striker had his pick of suitors, with both Champions League and Premier League clubs circling, but ultimately opted for Chelsea — no doubt helped by the fact that Strasbourg are owned by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, just like the Blues.
Emegha, already Strasbourg’s captain, is leading them into their first European campaign since 2020. He hit 14 Ligue 1 goals last season in just 27 games, and has started the new campaign just as brightly with three goals in four outings. That prolific form appears to have sealed the deal.
For the Hammers, it’s another case of what might have been.
Emegha would have offered pace, presence, and goals to a squad still short in attack. But perhaps this was always a battle they were unlikely to win — with Chelsea and Strasbourg increasingly trading players like two sides of the same coin.
