West Ham launch mammoth offer to seal Eli Junior Kroupi transfer
West Ham have submitted a bid worth £30million to sign Lorient’s Eli Junior Kroupi, according to the Daily Mail.
The newspaper reported via its website [1 February] that the Hammers are interested in bringing the 18-year-old forward to the London Stadium as the search for a new striker continues.
It is understood that Bournemouth had been in advanced talks with the Ligue 2 club recently, a deal which included loaning the player back to the French club for the rest of the season.
Chelsea, Tottenham and RB Leipzig have all been credited with making enquiries for Kroupi’s signature, who has netted eight times in 16 league games this season.
West Ham mean business as £30million Eli Junior Kroupi update emerges
Graham Potter is clearly desperate to add a new forward to his squad before the transfer window slams shut, but to splash £30million on an 18-year-old seems a bit careless.
The youngster broke into the Lorient first team at the age of 16, suggesting he is a very talented striker, but the Hammers need someone with Premier League pedigree, who will make an instant impact.
Potter is currently without Niclas Fullkrug and Michail Antonio, the latter’s injury clearly far more serious, with Jarrod Bowen only just on the verge of returning from his setback.
Lucas Paqueta has been used as a makeshift centre-forward in recent matches, a decision which seems to have worked out, but this cannot be a long-term solution for the Hammers.
The team need a dependable No.9 who can rake in 20 goals per season, which the Irons have struggled to find over the last few years, and they do not look to be any closer.
Kroupi could certainly be an exciting project for the future but that should not be the main focus in East London right now. With the team sitting in 14th in the Premier League, putting points on the board should be the main ambition.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers want a deadline-busting deal for a Serie A defender, who could be sold for £12.5million.
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