David Sullivan to be made to look a mug as update shared on West Ham move for Adama Traore
West Ham United have been told what it will take to force through a January move for Fulham attacker Adama Traore.
Traore has emerged as a mid-season target for West Ham, having fallen out of favour at fellow London side Fulham.
Nuno Espirito Santo previously worked with Traore at Wolves and therefore knows the 29-year-old, once hailed as “almost unstoppable” by Marco Silva, very well.
An injury sustained by Harry Wilson may have put a spanner in the works, however, while there are now further complications emerging for any deal to be struck.
Adama Traore to West Ham rocked by Africa Cup of Nations
West Ham cannot afford to wait until the end of the season to bring in new players. Recruits are needed in January – and ideally as close to 1 January as possible.
However, a report via Andrew Dillon for The Sun’s print edition on Saturday suggests a deal to bring Traore to the London Stadium now looks complicated.
That is due to Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze being away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Nigeria, potentially until the middle of next month.
Fulham are said to be open to doing business with West Ham for Traore, but West Ham will have to come back with more money to tempt them into selling next month.
The report adds that, at this stage, a deal at the end of the season is now the most likely outcome. However, as mentioned, that just will not cut it for West Ham.
David Sullivan needs to walk away from Traore transfer
Signing Traore would split the West Ham fanbase. The pacey attacker is exciting but often lacks end product, and what West Ham really do not need right now is a player who fails to score or assist.
| Games played | 12 |
| Games started | 1 |
| Minutes | 253 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
What makes this deal now sound even worse, though, is that West Ham would need to cough up even more than they were previously intending.
David Sullivan risks being made to look a mug if he goes to Fulham with more cash than is required to sign a player of Traore’s standing – a player who is very much on the fringes at Craven Cottage.
It looks like the best option right now is to say ‘thanks but no thanks’ and move on. The window opens on Thursday and West Ham just cannot afford to waste any time in adding to Nuno’s squad.
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