Andre Ayew, West Ham United’s club record signing; £20m from Swansea City. This transfer has divided many of our punters at the Tavern. Is the Ghanian worth the amount paid?

Will he be an improvement for the Hammers?

The Irons set their sights on adding a striker to their team at the start of the window with ambitions of progressing on their impressive season last term.

They had high targets with having had bids rejected for Alexandre Lacazette and Michy Batshuayi before setting their sights on Carlos Bacca who is still thought to be on the wish list for those in East London.

So, with that being said the London Stadium club set their sights elsewhere and came up with the Swansea ace, a player who has played alongside the majestic Dimitri Payet before in Marseille, where they formed quite the partnership.

However, there are a number of more proven strikers out there that maybe Gold and Sullivan could have set their sights on…

Here are FIVE that could have been a great fit for the London side..

Olivier Giroud

We witnessed what Giroud partnered with Payet can do at the Euros. Although the French forward has had his critics at Arsenal; he knows where the net is and surprisingly has a great record in the Premier League.

With over 55 goals for the club in Premier League competition since his arrival from Montpellier in 2013.

A step down from the Gunners perhaps, but as he casts such a divisive figure in North London, perhaps there could have been movement.

So the 28 year old’s experience of European football and goal scoring would be invaluable to the Hammers!

Mario Mandzukic

The Croatian international has a wealth of experience, much needed for a West Ham side hoping for the heights of Champions League football.

The 30-year old has played amongst Europe’s elite with Bayern Munich, Juventus and Atletico Madrid.

He has an unbelievable record around the continent, as well as a working relationship with the Hammers chief at international level.

With a great record and at a cheaper price than Ayew; despite his age maybe the Irons should of given him a shot?

Mario Gomez

He’s an unwanted man at his current club Fiorentina and having spent last term in Turkey and winning the title at Besiktas, scoring over 20 goals as the Turkish club went on to win the title ahead of the ‘bigger clubs’ Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.

The German striker has been around for a while having spent time with Bayern and Stuttgart in Germany and having a great record with the National team over the last 8 years. He would be a great addition to add goals that with be valuable for the Irons.

Christian Benteke

The Liverpool striker has had his struggles at the Anfield club! But having said that the Benteke of before the one down at Villa Park now he would be an asset to any club and a proven goalscorer in the Midlands.

The Belgian striker has been made available for transfer by Klopp and would be a fit for the Irons.

Mauro Icardi

This would have been an ambitious move, though the calibre of the club and how they are progressing that this would have been a statement of intent.

Especially with the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea sniffing around for the Inter Milan captain.

The talented young forward is thought as one of the best young strikers in Europe and may have cost just shy of double what the Hammers paid for Ayew but he would have been quite the statement of intent from the club and its owners of what they intent to do over the coming seasons.