Danny Welbeck would be the perfect late addition to David Moyes’ squad as West Ham United reportedly court the former England international following his release by Watford.

What’s the word?

According to Irons icon Frank McAvennie, while speaking with Football Insider, West Ham are looking into the potential of luring Welbeck to the London Stadium following the 29-year-old’s departure from Watford.

The Hornets agreed to mutually terminate Welbeck’s £100,000-per-week contract following their relegation to the second-tier through a dire need to cut their wage bill, having not written a pay reduction clause into his three-year terms.

Welbeck’s lucrative salary had made Watford’s quest for potential buyers challenging and ultimately had to pay the forward off, which could come to West Ham’s aid should the Irons indeed be interested.

“I have heard, and I am not sure whether it is true or not, that they are looking to sign Welbeck,” McAvennie has claimed.

The Irons icon is not confident that Welbeck would be the right signing, however.

“They have just let one sick note go in Jack Wilshere, why would you want to get another one in?” he added. “There is no doubting the boy's ability, but he is off the field more than he is on.

“It is a bit like Andy Carroll. They have just got rid of Jack Wilshere, why do they want another one who is not there every week. People get injuries, but some get more than their fair share and, unfortunately, Welbeck is one of them.”

Welbeck featured in 18 of Watford’s Premier League games as they were ultimately relegated last season, scoring twice and assisting once while missing three months through a hamstring injury sustained in October.

The perfect Anderson replacement?

While injuries have stuck with Welbeck for much of his career, having missed 27 of Arsenal’s Premier League fixtures through a broken ankle during his final campaign at the Emirates in 2018/19, the former England forward could be the perfect addition to strengthen Moyes’ offence now that the international transfer window has closed.

Moyes is without West Ham’s former club-record signing Felipe Anderson after the £36m attacker joined FC Porto on a one-season loan deal, further weakening the ranks after Grady Diangana joined West Bromwich Albion earlier in the window.

That leaves Jarrod Bowen, Andriy Yarmolenko and Robert Snodgrass as the only natural wide players at the London Stadium, though only Bowen has proven a regular starter in the league so far this season and is best accustomed to playing on the right.

Welbeck, on the other hand, is best set on the left – where central midfielder Pablo Fornals has been tasked with holding down duties for 93.06% of all minutes in the top-flight – having scored a goal every 3.1 games in the role for Arsenal compared to one every 3.4 matches at striker.

Once described as a "special guy" by ex-manager Arsene Wenger, his numbers will not make him a starter over Fornals, but will make the £4.95m-rated ace a strong understudy if personal terms are not outrageous.

AND in other news, GSB’s floundering in the transfer market ensured West Ham failed in a late pursuit of a £30million target.