West Ham United now hold a strong interest in signing a “ridiculously talented” forward who has scored in the Champions League this season, according to a report.
Hammers chasing a striker
Niclas Fullkrug has only found the back of the net twice in the Premier League this season, while Michail Antonio is set to be sidelined for a while longer due to injuries sustained in a car crash, although it has now been confirmed the 34-year-old is back running.
As such, Evan Ferguson arrived on loan in the January transfer window, but there is no option to buy the Irishman, meaning Graham Potter will need to bring in a striker capable of leading the line on a long-term basis this summer.
It was recently revealed that Lille’s Jonathan David is Potter’s top target, with the 25-year-old set to be available on a free transfer at the end of the season, at which point his contract with the French club comes to an end.
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Graham Potter has identified his priority target for the next transfer window.
However, West Ham are still running the rule over other forwards, and a report from Spain has revealed they now hold a strong interest in Real Madrid’s Endrick, who has not received as much game time as he would have liked since arriving in Spain.
As such, club president Florentino Perez is willing to sanction a loan move in the summer, in order to ensure the 18-year-old’s development is not hampered by the lack of minutes.
Any loan would not include an option to buy, with Madrid still of the belief the Brazilian has a long-term future at the Bernabeu, and the Hammers are waiting in the wings to bring him to the Premier League, although there may be competition for his signature from Lyon.
“Ridiculously talented” Endrick needs regular game time
Prior to the former Palmeiras man’s big move to Real Madrid, he was lauded as “ridiculously talented” by members of the media, but he has found game time hard to come by this season, given the 2024 Champions League winners’ insane attacking depth.
In La Liga, the teenager has appeared for a combined 90 minutes across 15 matches, and he has also been used sparingly in the Champions League, although he did manage to score his first goal in the competition in a 3-1 win against Stuttgart.
Of course, it is always going to be extremely difficult to compete for Kylian Mbappe’s starting spot, so a loan move could suit the £66k-per-week Brazil international, although a deal of that nature may not be the best idea for West Ham.
Potter needs a striker he can depend on for years to come, with Fullkrug and Antonio both in their thirties, and Real Madrid’s unwillingness to include a buy option in any potential loan deal is an issue.
That said, a move for Endrick could still make sense this summer, given the potential he has, but Potter should make sure to bring in another top striker, such as David, alongside the youngster.