West Ham are now in talks with a new forward for Graham Potter as they look to solve their striker crisis at the London Stadium, according to a fresh report.
West Ham chasing forward
West Ham have shown improvement under Potter since he took over in east London, but remain on the hunt for a new forward in the final days of the transfer window.
Mohammed Kudus was deployed as a no.9 in their most recent Premier League outing, a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, underlining the lack of options available to the new manager.
Michail Antonio remains sidelined indefinitely after a car crash, while Jarrod Bowen has a fractured foot and is also unavailable. Summer signing Niclas Fullkrug’s injury misfortune continued earlier in the month too, with the German now set to miss the next three months with a hamstring injury which forced him off just minutes into their FA Cup defeat against Aston Villa.
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One player who they have been strongly linked with is Brighton forward Evan Ferguson, who Potter knows well and handed his debut during his time on the south coast. It is believed that he could be available on loan and several clubs are chasing his signature, but that previous relationship combined with the chance for regular first-team football could give the Hammers the edge.
Multiple forwards could arrive however, given the current shortage in the no.9 spot at the London Stadium. The club have also been in talks to sign Brian Brobbey from Ajax, while a move for out-of-favour RB Leipzig striker Andre Silva on loan for the remainder of the campaign has also been mooted.
Now, a new name has entered the fray, with the Hammers looking beyond the final week of the transfer window.
West Ham in talks over 10 goal striker
That is according to a fresh report from French outlet L’Equipe [Via West Ham Zone], who report that West Ham are in talks to sign OGC Nice forward Evann Guessand.
The 23-year-old striker has found the net nine times in Ligue 1 so far this season, as well as netting in the Europa League, and is regarded as a top prospect in France.
|
Guessand in Ligue 1 24/25 |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
19 |
|
Goals |
9 |
|
Assists |
5 |
|
Minutes per goal contribution |
117 |
And the report claims that West Ham are “in talks with the entourage” of Guessand over a potential move, with Nice reportedly valuing their striker at £25m, a fee that would be their second highest-ever sale behind Jean-Michel Seri.
However, it is a deal that has been earmarked for the summer rather than in the coming days, with Guessand enjoying a fine season for Les Aiglons and expected to remain there this winter.
“I’m at Nice. The season is ongoing and we have objectives. I am fully focused on my club and the objectives that await us,” said the versatile forward in a recent interview.
There is also thought to be interest from Germany in the talent, but West Ham could be at the head of the queue as things stand following talks.