West Ham United eye Joseph Paintsil as Said Benrahma replacement at London Stadium
West Ham are eyeing a move for Genk winger Joseph Paintsil after previous interest in the player two seasons ago, according to Andy Dillon.
The Sun journalist reported [18 January, 17:54] that the Hammers are actively searching to find a replacement for Said Benrahma amid rumours that the Algerian is closing in on a move to Marseille.
It is understood that the Ghanaian forward has a £7million release clause in his current contract, with LA Galaxy, Wolves and Nottingham Forest all said to be tracking the player.
West Ham were alerted to the 25-year-old’s talent after he scored against the Hammers in the Europa League during the 2021/22 campaign, helping the Belgian side to a 2-2 draw with a Premier League club,
No-brainer transfer
Capable of player anywhere in the attacking half of the field, Paintsil represents David Moyes will a perfect match in profiles to the forwards already at London Stadium.
Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus are all able to seamlessly switch positions throughout a match, making it much more difficult for the opposition to keep track of them.
And speaking of Kudus, the current Hammers star is currently away on international duty with the Genk goalscorer, as Ghana compete in the 2023 African Cup of Nations. If the links with Paintsil are true, it will be hoped that Kudus can persuade his international counterpart to move to London.
Targeted as a replacement for Benrahma, whose red card against Bristol City in the FA Cup could have been his final act in a West Ham shirt, Hammers fans will be desperate for the club to make a move and kick the Algerian outcast out the door.
And for just £7million, Paintsil could be one of the bargains of the January transfer window, especially considering his nine goals and five assists in all competitions this season.
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