Tim Steidten set for Paris next in Hugo Ekitike transfer update after West Ham United man returns from Brazil striker talks
Tim Steidten is back at West Ham from his transfer negotiations in Brazil “empty handed” in his attempts to land a striker but may now be headed to Paris instead, according to Kieran Gill.
The Daily Mail journalist reported live on the paper’s transfer live stream on YouTube Thursday night (31 August, 5.29pm) that he had been told by the Hammers “Tim’s back” after flying 11 hours to South America and 11 hours back.
According to Gill the Irons technical director’s “next destination” is likely to be Paris because the club want a striker and “really like” Paris Saint Germain’s Hugo Ekitike, while the discussions over Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri with a new scorer “definitely on the cards”.
Steidten had been sent out to Brazil to conduct face-to-face talks with Corinthians for 22-year-old forward Yuri Alberto, with Flamengo’s Pedro named as an alternative.
No dice
It looks like West Ham did what they could in terms of landing a Brazilian striker but it hasn’t come off, so Steidten’s record of success has taken a hit after strong work to land Mohammed Kudus from Ajax.
But the German has been crucial to the club late in the window, with Konstantinos Mavropanos brought in from Germany shortly before the Ghanian star.
With Ekitike his next target there is still the potential for West Ham to land a new striker before the deadline if his attention is now being pointed back towards Europe in the final hours of the window.
How important it is for David Moyes to get a new striker will depend hugely upon whether Michail Antonio and Danny Ings stay or go.
Everything being equal the manager would obviously prefer to have extra options either way but Kudus can contribute to the attack as well.
With Ekitike linked to a number of clubs it won’t be easy, and En-Nesyri may be more doable after multiple windows of Moyes chasing him, given there have been rumblings of financial pressures at Sevilla during this window.
In other West Ham news, the Irons have moved ahead of a key rival in the race to complete a major last-gasp signing.