West Ham United scouts watch Red Bull Salzburg sensation Benjamin Sesko score eight-minute hat-trick
West Ham scouts were in attendance as Benjamin Sesko scored a late hat-trick for Red Bull Salzburg to prove the match-winner at Rapid Wien, according to 90min.
The 19-year-old Slovenian is attracting heavy interest from the Premier League despite having a summer move secured to Germany with Red Bull sister club RB Leipzig.
But 11 goals in all competitions this season for the youngster has clubs looking ahead for a possible future deal if he adapts to the step up next season, while the possibility remains that the German side could sell him at an immediate profit without him ever playing for them.
Tottenham, Leeds United and Manchester United were all at the game on Sunday (5 March), with Wolves, Leicester and Inter rounding out the scouting party.
Also on display and of interest at the London Stadium were fellow forwards Noah Okafor and Junior Adamu.
Talent
Sesko’s exit from Salzburg to Leipzig is already agreed, but if he continues in something like the form he displayed at the weekend, where he came on at the half and won the game 4-2 with three strikes between the 80th and 87th minute, once he arrives in Germany he will move again for big money before long.
If West Ham harbour hopes of being in the running then they are going to need to firstly, stay in the Premier League, and secondly, show a great deal more ability to integrate big-money signings.
The hit and miss debut seasons for the likes of Gianluca Scamacca and Lucas Paqueta, have helped contribute to a hugely underwhelming campaign.
All eyes are now trained on David Moyes with the Scot having proven incapable this year of implementing a more attacking style or getting the best out of his expensive summer arrivals.
There is sure to be movement up front in the West Ham squad in the near future, with Michail Antonio likely to leave and questions raised over Scamacca’s long-term future in East London.
So the Hammers are likely to need a new striker in the immediate future, with Okafor or Adamu perhaps more viable targets for this summer.
But it wouldn’t be a shock to see the teenager in the Premier League sooner or later and there is clearly no shortage of interest already.