Pardew still on striker hunt

West Ham manager Alan Pardew confirmed he is still in the market for a big-name striker despite signing Israel international Yaniv Katan this week.

Pardew has high hopes for Katan – but the 24-year-old does not represent the marquee striker Pardew has been trying to sign since the summer, when he missed out on Monaco’s Emmanuel Adebayor and Benni McCarthy from Porto.

“This isn’t the striker we were hoping to get in the summer window – and still are hoping to get,” admitted Pardew.

“But this is one that just fell for me really.”

Katan’s work permit has been approved and Pardew expects he will pass a medical early in the new year and be available for West Ham’s FA Cup third round tie at Norwich on January 7.

Katan is close friends with West Ham midfielder Yossi Benayoun after they played together for both Maccabi Haifa and Israel.

And Benayoun’s impact at Upton Park, following his summer arrival from Racing Santander, was a major factor in West Ham clinching the deal.

Pardew explained: “He caught my eye when I was looking at Yossi and in the games I have seen I feel he will fit in well into the English game.

“I know he is a sound character through Yossi, so that helps and reassures you. I think he will settle quickly and Yossi will help him.

“If Yossi was having problems settling here, the Katan deal might not have happened.

“Katan is technically very good. He can play left side of three up front, he can play on the right and through the middle.

“He is quick and for a 24-year-old he has got bags of experience. He was in the national team at 19.

“Yossi has been fantastic for us. Katan is a different style of player, but if he can make the same sort of impact it would be great.”

Katan already faces stiff competition for a place in the side, even before Pardew splashes the cash.

Marlon Harewood, Bobby Zamora and Teddy Sheringham are battling it out for two places up front. Jeremie Aliadiere and David Bellion are also both at West Ham on loan for the season and offer similar options to Katan, in that they can play wide or through the middle.

But Pardew insisted he is not concerned about having too many strikers on his books.

“The more the merrier,” he said. “Katan knows the football he is coming from to this football is a big jump. He is coming in to a big pool and I made it clear he will not get an automatic start here.”