West Ham launch Moise Kean transfer enquiry as £43.7m contract clause emerges
West Ham United have made signing a new striker one of their priorities this summer and could cast their eyes towards Serie A.
Graham Potter has so far had very little to choose from in the final third at the London Stadium, with Niclas Fullkrug – last summer’s big-money striker signing – injured 16 minutes into his first match.
Without Fullkrug, whose impact at West Ham has been hindered by injuries since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, Potter has had to use the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus as makeshift strikers.
Evan Ferguson’s loan signing from Brighton in the winter window is also yet to prove successful despite the Irishman’s connection with Potter, leaving the Irons boss on the hunt for a new number nine again.
Moise Kean contract clause alerts West Ham over transfer
A new centre-forward is without doubt West Ham’s most pressing need this summer, and alongside Arsenal and Newcastle United, the Irons have thrown their hats in the ring for Fiorentina’s Moise Kean.
| Player | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists |
| Moise Kean | 34 | 30 | 20 | 3 |
Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb reported on 18 March that Kean, under contract with La Viola until 2029, has an exit clause in his contract totalling £43.7million, agreed prior to his summer move from Juventus.
As a result, West Ham, Newcastle and Arsenal have already established contact with Fiorentina to get to grips with the feasibility of the deal; for a striker who already has 20 goals in all competitions this season.
Kean transfer a no-brainer despite competition for West Ham
Although a £43.7m outlay is much more than the Hammers spent on the likes of Fullkrug – having also baulked at paying £40m for Jhon Duran – that’s the kind of ball-park they’ll be shopping in this summer.
West Ham were too late in realising their error to pass up Duran, bidding £57m in January after the striker had scored 12 goals in just seven starts for Aston Villa, but he ended up joining Al-Nassr instead.
That leaves the Hammers with a huge hole to fill in the final third if Potter is to avoid the lower-mid-table finish his side are on course to achieve, and a striker of Kean’s quality could make the difference.
Title challengers Arsenal and EFL Cup winners Newcastle may be more appealing destinations for Kean at face value, but if West Ham can meet his release clause first, they could snag one of Europe’s in-form attackers and strike an absolute bargain in the process.