West Ham United have now made contact over a move for a “fantastic” striker this month, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
West Ham keen on a striker
Niclas Fullkrug has failed to hit the ground running since completing a move to the London Stadium in the summer, scoring just one goal in the Premier League, while Michail Antonio is set to be out for the foreseeable future due to a car crash.
As a result, Julen Lopetegui is looking at bringing in a new striker this month, with the manager trying to get his side’s season back on track after a disappointing first half of the campaign.
Back in December, Corinthians’ Yuri Alberto was identified as a target by the Hammers, who offered £25m for his services, but that bid was knocked back by the Brazilian club, so Lopetegui has started to run the rule over some different options.
More recently, the Irons have had their eye on Randal Kolo Muani, who is expected to depart Paris Saint-Germain in January, while talks have also been held over a deal for Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath after his impressive form this term.
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Signing a new striker appears to be one of Lopetegui’s priorities this month, and West Ham have now taken their first concrete step towards signing a Premier League striker, who could be allowed to leave at some point this month.
Reliable journalist Ben Jacobs has now provided the latest on the Irons’ pursuit of Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson, confirming that contact has been made to discuss the terms of a deal.
A loan deal for Ferguson could make sense for all parties
Previously, Brighton valued Ferguson at around £60 million, which could be out of West Ham’s price range, but a loan deal could make sense for all parties.
The Irishman is struggling for game time at Brighton this season, which is crucial at this stage of his career, and the Hammers are in need of a striker urgently.
There are indications that the 20-year-old could be a real upgrade for the Irons in attack, having been lauded by members of the media for some of his performances for the Seagulls.
That said, with Arsenal and a whole host of other Premier League clubs interested in the youngster, it may be difficult to win the race for his signature this winter, and Brighton are still yet to decide whether letting him leave is the right move, making this one to watch.