West Ham have announced that they have signed a 15-goal striker who can compete with Jarrod Bowen this season

Jarrod Bowen has had little competition in the last two seasons for the #1 spot on West Ham United’s goalscoring table.

Last semester, the captain finished five points ahead of Tomas Soucek. In the previous year, when Jarrod Bowen reached 20 for the first time, Mohammed Kudus was his closest contender at 14.

The competition for West Ham United’s top scorer may not be as clear-cut this time.

With Lucas Paqueta nominated for the Premier League’s Goal of the Month award after his screamer against Chelsea in August, the Brazilian entered the international break with three goals in three consecutive outings. He extended his run with a close-range header in Brazil’s 3-0 win over Chile on Thursday.

Former England player Darren Bent sees Calum Wilson’s header in the recent win over Nottingham Forest as a promising indication for the future.

Darren Bent forecasts that Callum Wilson will score 15 Premier League goals for West Ham United.

Graham Potter believes West Ham have bought a ‘great player’ in Callum Wilson, despite his injury history that led to his departure from Newcastle United as a free agent earlier this summer.

Wilson missed 114 Newcastle games in five years at St James’ Park.

But if the 33-year-old can avoid the treatment table – admittedly a big ‘if’ – his track record speaks for itself.

West Ham are in dreamland!

Callum Wilson scores his first goal for the Hammers! ⚒️ pic.twitter.com/hANKmbkgCO

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 31, 2025

He scored 47 Premier League goals in 71 starts with the Magpies. He netted nine out of nine in 2023/24 and 18 out of 21 the previous year.

Bent, meantime, implies that the always talismanic Bowen may face some competition this time around, albeit the skipper seemed to embrace not having to bear the goal-scoring burden alone.

Bent, a former striker for Aston Villa, Tottenham, and Sunderland, praises the club’s new signings.

“If Callum Wilson keeps fit, he will score goals for them. He will score 15 goals from now until the conclusion of the season, assuming he does not get injured. I have no doubts about that.

“A fit Callum Wilson does not go to West Ham; he is still at Newcastle.”

Gabby Agbonlahor believes Wilson is simply ‘better’ than Niclas Fullkrug.

Wilson is one step closer to achieving Bent’s goal of 15. While he has yet to make his full Premier League debut in a West Ham shirt, the most contentious of their summer signings has undoubtedly given Graham Potter something for thought.

Especially with Niclas Fullkrug trying to duplicate his strong preseason form in competitive contests.

Former Aston Villa captain Gabby Agbonlahor, although admiring the moves that brought Mateus Fernandes and El Hadji Malick Diouf to the London Stadium, believed that Callum Wilson is just ‘better’ than the £27 million Fullkrug.

The former might not have arrived with the same fanfare. Despite questions about his health and age, Wilson obviously has his penalty-area reflexes.

First session for Magassa and Igor 📈

— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 4, 2025

“It’s not about how much you spend, but what you spend it on,” Agbonlahor told talkSPORT himself. “They signed Niclas Fullkrug for over £30 million. He runs as if he has no hips! He can’t move around the pitch!

“Honestly, this was a horrible signing. Yes, he performed well at the Euros [with Germany last summer], but he isn’t a good enough player for me. That was an unusual signature.

“You acquire Fullkrug for [almost] £30 million, but someone like Callum Wilson is a free transfer and a better player. A much better player. They got a superior striker for free.

“Don’t just spend money to keep the fans pleased. “What about deals?”