West Ham United transfer news as billionaire speaks out on striker
Bournemouth owner Bill Foley has vowed the Cherries’ doors are “closed and bolted”, implying that West Ham should forget about signing Dominic Solanke.
Following a rebuff of a Hammers’ approach for their star striker during the summer, ongoing reports are suggesting that West Ham are still interested in the Solanke as their search for a striker continues, as per talkSPORT. [24 November]
While Bournemouth have made it clear that they have no plans of selling the 26-year-old, Foley has doubled down on the club’s transfer stance in a recent interview.
Speaking to talkSPORT on Thursday (14 December), the £1.2billion club owner said: “Our door is closed and it’s bolted. We’re not interested in selling any player.
“If situations arise that we’re put in a position where we are compelled to do something because the player really wants to move on, but we were very specific in terms of Philip Billing and Dom [Solanke] and signing them to new, extended contracts.”
A serious statement
If Foley is serious about the transfer stance, and it seems he is, West Ham should not waste time in submitting bids during the January transfer window.
There are several strikers reportedly on West Ham’s radar, so David Moyes should not be disappointed that one of them has been ruled out before the window opens back up again.
However, the main reason for the firm interest in Solanke is his Premier League experience, with 112 appearances at the top level. A striker from a league in Europe may not have that same experience.
So without the Cherries man, the Hammers manager is confident that he can play with Jarrod Bowen up front for the rest of the season, comparing it to a Cristiano Ronaldo-type transition from wing to striker. [13 December]
It seems like a short-term fix at London Stadium but Solanke is no longer a long-term option for West Ham, according to Foley.
In other West Ham news, the Irons could potentially bring in a new manager prior to their EFL Cup tie at Anfield.