West Ham United learn striker asking price after Atletico Madrid reject big-money offer
West Ham will have to offer a straight €40million [£34m] fee for Samu Omorodion to get Atletico Madrid to consider a deal, according to Marcos Duran.
The Spanish-based journalist reported via Twitter on 4 June that the Irons had bid for the Spain under-21 international previously, but their €29m [£24.7m] plus €10m [£8.5m] in add-ons had been turned down.
That is believed to be the top offer made so far for the striker, who spent his first season as an Atletico player on loan at Alaves last term, but for now there has been no follow up.
Omorodion, 20, scored eight goals in 34 La Liga appearances for his temporary, having also found the net in his one outing for previous side Granada at the start of the campaign before he was bought by Atletico and sent straight back out on loan.
West Ham must spend bid to land Samu Omorodion
West Ham clearly need a striker when Michail Antonio somehow still remains the number one option and youngster Divin Mubama is on his way out after rejecting offers of a new contract.
Danny Ings has never managed to establish himself at the London Stadium and is wanted for a return to Southampton this summer [talkSPORT, 29 May], and the failure to replace Gianluca Scamacca a year ago left David Moyes short last season.
The Hammers have also been linked to finally moving for Sevilla forward Youssef En-Nesyri after long-term interest, thanks to new manager Julen Lopetegui previously managing him in La Liga [Vamos Mi Sevilla, 12 May].
West Ham don’t have a great recent record when spending big on goal scorers which potentially makes a move for a player the new manager has previously had success with more sensible.
But Atletico and the Irons clearly think Omorodion is going places after his first year in the Spanish top flight, and the combined factors of a Premier League club looking to sign a striker with a lot of potential from a top European side are always going to mean the deal is expensive.
It remains to be seen how far the club’s budget will stretch this summer now that they aren’t selling Lucas Paqueta to Manchester City, but in an ideal world Lopetegui would surely like two new forwards as well as reinforcements in wide areas.
In other West Ham news, the Irons have been hit by a late hijack to one of their key transfers.
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