West Ham: Battle for Newcastle striker; board want answers from Bilic; Reid discusses stadium move

By Sam Leveridge

West Ham face a transfer battle with London rivals Crystal Palace as they seek to sign Newcastle striker Aleksandar Mitrovic in January as the Serbian struggles to convince Rafa Benitez that he deserves a starting spot for the Magpies despite having scored five times already this season, say the Daily Star.

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A powerful forward, Mitrovic could fit in well at the London Stadium and is known for his strength and aerial prowess, possibly representing a more consistent and fitter option when compared to Andy Carroll.

Slaven Bilic faces a tough phone call this morning as David Gold and David Sullivan demand answers from the Croatian, say the Telegraph. They are reportedly concerned by the high number of injuries suffered this season, with eight players currently unavailable through soft tissue injuries.

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They also want an explanation after Bilic questioned “the intensity and dedication to the cause” of his players, with owners furious that he has publicly questioned his own players.

Defender Winston Reid has spoken out to claim that the club’s stadium move is not the reason that the team are struggling for form as he said:

“I think it feels like home now. It is different to what I was used to playing at for the last six years, where everything was tight at Upton Park, and even when things weren’t going for you in games, if you made a tackle you could feel the crowd get behind you. The atmosphere is a bit different at this stadium… We weren’t the team we were last year and the fans didn’t have as much to get excited about. At the end of the day it’s really only us on the pitch who can do something about it, and get the fans behind you and supporting you. Now we definitely need to address our home form.”

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The Australian has been in questionable form himself, particularly up against Arsenal on Sunday, and will now need to improve.

Featured Image: All rights reserved by Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht.