On the first day of 2017, we've seen two Irish players linked with a move to West Ham United as Slaven Bilic is in desperate need of reinforcements up front.
The decision to take a chance on Simone Zaza backfired badly as the Italian will not be extending his loan having put in the type of performances that will ensure he finds a place on future listicles like '10 Premier League Flops You Forgot Existed'.
But aside from Zaza, the reliable unreliability of Andy Carroll coupled with injury troubles for Andre Ayew and Diafra Sakho have seen West Ham resort to playing Michael Antonio up front, such is their need for bodies at the position.
And apparently Bilic wants an Irishman, as Joe Bernstein in the Daily Mail is claiming that Shane Long and Scott Hogan are being linked up for approaches in the January window.
West Ham are looking at Southampton's Shane Long and in-form Brentford striker Scott Hogan as alternative January targets should Sunderland remain unwilling to sell Jermain Defoe.
***
With West Ham unlikely to break the bank in January, Bilic would also consider Republic of Ireland international Long who has only been used sparingly by his manager at St Mary's Claude Puel.
Long's availability has been complicated by a shoulder injury to Charlie Austin while Sofiane Boufal is heading to Africa in January with Morocco when Southampton face Liverpool in a two-legged League Cup semi-final.
***
The Hammers have also watched Hogan on several occasions and their leading talent spotter Tony Henry believes the 24-year-old can make the step up into the Premier League.
Despite that, Brentford's £10million asking price for the 13-goal forward represents a risk for owner David Sullivan given the player's lack of previous top-flight experience and injury record.
Interesting.
Aside from a spell out with injury in November, Long has clearly been a part of Claude Puel's plans up until now even with the arrival of Charlie Austin in the summer, but the return to fitness of Jay Rodriguez complicates things. Southampton will still be unlikely to want to sell Long, who very much looks comfortable in his surroundings.
Hogan is someone who will be linked with a move consistently throughout the January window, but Brentford are going to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to take him away, and rightly so.
West Ham will be signing a striker, that's for sure, but would it be a good move for Long at this point in his career?
