TBR View: West Ham want Ollie Watkins, but do Tottenham need him more?

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West Ham United’s need for a striker has continued this season despite spending more than a combined £50million on duo Sebastian Haller and Albian Ajeti last summer – and Ollie Watkins is the latest forward to be linked with the Hammers.

The Sun claim that West Ham are interested in signing Watkins, 24, who continues to shine for Championship side Brentford in their bid to win promotion from England’s second tier. His form has remarkably improved since being made a number nine.

Watkins has scored 22 goals in 35 Championship outings, and after the Hammers signed Jarrod Bowen from Hull City, David Moyes may be tempted to use the second tier as a scouting pool for a second time – by bringing in Watkins.

However, his form has hardly gone unnoticed in the Premier League – with Watkins being repeatedly linked with a move. Indeed, many top-tier sides that would suit Watkins and vice versa. One of those is West Ham’s London rivals Tottenham.

Indeed, Harry Kane’s injury has highlighted Tottenham’s huge need for a back-up striker – or one that can rival Kane for a place in the side. If Spurs are to sign a striker that is willing to play second fiddle, he will need to be able to get game time out wide.

Watkins is the ideal candidate. Not only is he young, English and available at a fee believed to be in the region of £25million (Mail), but Watkins was a winger before moved to centre-forward in the summer.

He has all the attributes necessary to be the perfect cover for Kane, who has developed a worrying trend of suffering an injury soon after the midway point of the season. This time, it is his hamstring, but it has been his ankle on several occasions.

So, Tottenham need to rival London enemies West Ham for Watkins’ signature, and blow the Hammers out of the water in order to secure the perfect striker to provide cover for Kane and replace him on occasion.