West Ham United transfer news as Viktor Gyokeres identified as Michail Antonio replacement
West Ham United have added Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres to their summer transfer wishlist and see him as the “natural heir” to Michail Antonio, according to Claret & Hugh.
The Sky Blues hotshot has enjoyed a sensational 2022/23 campaign, notching 21 goals from 49 Championship games this season.
The Swede forward is attracting interest from a host of Premier League clubs as a result, with Fulham, Wolves, Crystal Palace and the Hammers all interested [Sky Sports, 7 June].
Sky Sports revealed on 7 June [15:16] Coventry are believed to want in excess of £17m (€20m) for his services this summer, with Portuguese outfit Sporting also interested in signing him.
And according to Claret & Hugh [14 June], David Moyes sees Gyokeres as the natural successor to Antonio at the London Stadium, with the Swede aware of the West Ham United interest and is expected to leave Coventry City this summer.
Get him in
West Ham United certainly face a gruelling battle for Gyokere, with Fulham, Wolves and Crystal Palace also rightly in desperate need of his talented services.
However, none of them could be more desperate than the Hammers who could well be set to lose both Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio, which potentially leaves Danny Ings as their only first-team striking options.
Coventry’s exceptional hitman Gyokeres certainly fits the bill at the London Stadium, given his wonderful and consistent knack for scoring goals and his arguable readiness to compete at the top level of English football.
The Swedish international registered a sensational 21 goals and 12 assists in the Championship and 17 goals and five assists the previous season, becoming one of the country’s hottest goalscoring commodities and with his contract at the Sky Blues coming to an end in a year’s time, they may well be tempted to cash in this summer.
£17m for his services seems an absolute snip given the potential windfall the Hammers are set to receive from Declan Rice’s sell.
With Antonio’s wage package also said to be off the West Ham United books this summer, the East Londoners will have more than enough to make this exciting transfer a real possibility this summer. Also, they could well tempt him with European football next season too. Get him in.