West Ham to renew interest in revitalised Premier League striker after £40m summer offer knocked back

ScoreLive November 19, 2023 0

West Ham are reportedly ready to renew their interest in a Premier League striker who has scored six top-flight goals in 12 outings for his club this season.

David Moyes is desperate to add another No.9 to his squad in the new year after failing to replace Gianluca Scamacca, who returned to Italy to join Atalanta over the summer.

There are also rumours that Danny Ings could look to move on in the new year after failing to earn any regular game time at the London Stadium.

If that happens then Moyes will have no choice but to dip into the market, with the latest reports suggesting that Bournemouth frontman Dominic Solanke is once against a top West Ham target.

The former Liverpool attacker has been impressive for the Cherries so far this term and scored a brace in the fine 2-0 win over Newcastle before the international break.

The Hammers saw an official approach for the 26-year-old knocked back in late July. Indeed, it’s reported that a £40m offer was rejected by the south coast outfit.

That offer will almost certainly have to be upped if West Ham want to get their man, especially with Solanke still under contract until June 2027.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola will also be loathed to lose his main goalscorer midway through a season that is likely to see his club battling against the drop again.

Moyes has several names on West Ham wanted list

Solanke is not the only West Ham target though, with Santos striker Marcos Leonardo also rumoured to be on Moyes’ radar along with Feyenoord hotshot Santiago Gimenez.

Mexican Gimenez has netted a superb 15 goals in 15 outings for the Dutch champions this season and netted a brace on his Champions League debut against Lazio in late October.

Feyenoord, however, plan to keep Gimenez until at least the end of the current season and are expected to rebuff any January approaches.

West Ham are not alone in their chase for Gimenez though, with Tottenham, Arsenal and Fulham also in the market for a new centre-forward.

Lille’s Jonathan David is another player to watch as he approaches the final 18 months of his contract in Ligue 1, although AC Milan are the current favourites to sign the Canada international.

At the present time, Michail Antonio remains Moyes’ first option in the position, while Jarrod Bowen can also be used through the middle, although he is better operating from out wide.

Mohammed Kudus has at least added a bit more juice to the current West Ham forward line, scoring five times in 15 appearances so far after his summer switch from the Netherlands.

However, it appears that Moyes is determined to get a new striker in one way or another – it just remains to be seen who.

The Hammers are back in action after the international break when they head to Burnley on November 25.