West Ham hope to sign Benrahma in next 24 hours – report
West Ham are hoping to complete the signing of Said Benrahma from Brentford in the next 24 hours, according to TeamTalk.
The football news website has reported that the Hammers and the Bees have agreed a structured deal that sees the Irons pay £17million up front.
It is understood that add-ons will take the deal up to around £25million but there is also a clause that will see West Ham pay an extra £8million “if and when they sell the player in the future”.
Benrahma, 25, has not started in the Championship for Brentford amid speculation surrounding his future at the West London club.
He has come off the bench in their last two league games but in his only start this term, which was in the Carabao Cup against Fulham on October 1, the Algeria international scored two goals in a 3-0 win over the Premier League club.
Although Benrahma stood out in that West London derby, the former Nice attacker’s form in the Championship last season is the main reason why West Ham are signing him.
Brentford reached the Championship play-off final after finishing third in the standings, courtesy of a phenomenal season by the Algerian.
Benrahma scored 17 goals and supplied 10 assists in 46 league and play-off appearances.
He’s yet to play in the Premier League but speaking to ESPN in August, ex-Hammer Don Hutchison claimed he’s more than good enough to make the step up.
“I think he is [a Premier League player],” Hutchison said. “I think Thomas Frank at Brentford has done a terrific job in bringing him on.”
It might be too soon for Benrahma to be thrown into David Moyes’ starting line-up for the trip to Tottenham on Sunday but there’s a chance the soon-to-be-former Brentford player will be involved to some degree.
If he does get a debut against Spurs, there’s a chance for Benrahma to become an instant hero among his new fans.
In other West Ham news, David Gold has welcomed Craig Dawson to the club.