West Ham United’s summer transfer window activity has burst back into life with an astonishing barrage of links to targets.
Before signing Luis Guilherme from Palmeiras, West Ham were making all the headlines when it came to transfers.
Technical director Tim Steidten was getting busy with reported bids and approaches made for a host of players.
Since landing 18-year-old Brazilian teenager Guilherme in a £25m deal, there was a slight cooling of the jets.
West Ham are in for an extremely busy summer with the club targeting another seven signings.
With a reported £100m budget – which Hammers News believes may be something of a red herring by design – Steidten faces a tough task.
Calm before the West Ham transfer storm?
Hammers fans have been heartened by the fact Julen Lopetegui is a boss known to demand investment and ambition.
He walked out on Wolves on the eve of last season after broken promises in that regard.
So Steidten has plenty of work to do, plenty of time to do it – but not necessarily plenty of money.
If the £100m budget is true, then it averages out at around £13-15m per player.
Further player sales will obviously bolster West Ham’s kitty – such as the impending departure of Nathan Trott to Copenhagen for around £1.5-2m.
After a pretty quiet few days, though, the rumour mill is well and truly whirring again.
West Ham’s transfer activity has burst back into life with an astonishing barrage of links to targets.
West Ham activity bursts back into life with barrage of links
First it was reported that West Ham are now battling Newcastle and Aston Villa to sign Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe.
Next Portuguese attacker Jota Silva – who has been linked with the Hammers for the last two months – was said to be looking ‘almost certain’ to be one of Steidten’s captures.
RMC Sport claim West Ham are in for RB Salzburg’s French centre-back Oumar Solet.
The 24-year-old is for sale at a knockdown price as he enters the last year of his contract, so he certainly fits the profile of player Steidten seems to be looking at.
England striker Ivan Toney – for sale at Brentford – has been linked once again, Arsenal have pulled out while rivals Spurs have seen a reported £40m bid knocked back. That would normally be good news for West Ham, but Brentford are reportedly looking for nearer £50m which surely makes him an unlikely arrival at the London Stadium.
There looked to be an intriguing development regarding brilliant 21-year-old Argentine winger Matias Soule of Juventus.
West Ham have held talks with Juve about signing Soule. There is a gap in valuation but reports from Italy claim Steidten and Juve remain in talks over a compromise.
Soule’s fellow Juve-owned Arthur Melo has been linked once again as has Roma striker Tammy Abraham – who is said to be available for £25m.
The Hammers are monitoring left-back Ryan Sessegnon who is available on a free transfer.
There was an ironic twist when it emerged reported prime Lopetegui target Youssef En-Nesyri decided he now does want to join West Ham after twice rejecting a move in the past.
The irony being it came 24 hours after Lopetegui was alleged to have moved on from his interest in reuniting with the Sevilla forward.
Jake O’Brien, an Irish centre-back at Lyon, was linked once again with reports the French club are willing to sell to West Ham – whom they owe £12.3m for Said Benrahma.
Max Kilman came back on the West Ham agenda in a big way after Hammers News’ exclusive story that majority owner David Sullivan is willing to push the boat out to sign the player to please new head coach Lopetegui.
West Ham are said to be monitoring 23-year-old Dutch defender Jayden Oosterwolde of Fenerbahce.
Quite literally after asking his agents for footage of the star in action.
Another centre-back emerged as a West Ham target in the shape of Riccardo Calafiori.
The Bologna star has started twice for Italy at the Euros and looked a quality player. Although he did score a rather unfortunate own goal in the defeat to Spain overnight.
West Ham are reportedly ‘getting serious’ about signing another Serie A centre-back – Udinese’s Nehuen Perez.
Steidten has reportedly put Sunderland winger Jack Clarke back on West Ham’s radar too. Sunderland are looking to sell after failing to agree a new deal with the ex Spurs and Leeds man, who can also operate at left-back.
The Hammers are allegedly looking to sign former Celtic wonderkid Karamoko Dembele. Brest have publicly stated he can leave.
West Ham are once again said to be in for striker Jonathan David of Lille but so are Man United and others.
Inter Milan’s full-back Carlos Augusto is an alleged target if West Ham sell Emerson Palmieri.
Hull’s Jaden Philogene and Braga striker Simon Banza are the latest to be linked in the last 24 hours.
But perhaps the most solid link and likely next signing is veteran goalkeeper Wes Foderingham. He will join as a free agent, ticking the important homegrown player status box and providing Lopetegui with experienced back-up for Alphonse Areola and Lukasz Fabianski.
And breathe…
Now you’re all caught up Hammers fans. It will be interesting to see how many of those players are among the other seven signings when all is said and done in the window.