West Ham United push with everything to seal Kelechi Iheanacho transfer
West Ham pushed with everything to secure a last-gasp deal to sign Kelechi Iheanacho, according to Sport.
The Spanish newspaper reported [29 July, page 15] that the Hammers and Stuttgart both attempted to hijack the striker’s move to Sevilla, with his contract expiring with Leicester City last month.
It is understood that Iheanacho is scheduled to jet into Seville on Monday 29 July or Tuesday 30 July to undergo a medical and put pen to paper on a deal until 2027.
West Ham United miss out on Kelechi Iheanacho
Julen Lopetegui is clearly on the search for a brand-new striker, having been linked with Youssef En-Nesyri, AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham, and Atletico Madrid’s Samu Omorodion in the current window.
With just Danny Ings and Michail Antonio at the new manager’s disposal ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, fans are not convinced by the current firepower at the London Stadium.
While Antonio is still the club’s leading Premier League scorer, his recent injury record will be a major concern heading into the new season and could be replaced if a suitable signing can be found.
Iheanacho would have been the perfect fit for the Hammers, having experienced most of his football in the Premier League with Manchester City and Leicester.
The 27-year-old racked up 232 appearances for the Foxes, scoring 61 goals in that time despite always being outshone by Jamie Vardy, but always managing to make an impact as a substitute.
He is also a regular figure at international level with Nigeria, winning 45 caps since earning his debut in 2014, scoring 15 goals for his country.
While signing Iheanacho on a free transfer this summer might have been underwhelming for some fans, Lopetegui looks to be targeting replacements for multiple positions, so signing a Premier League-level striker for free would not have been turned down.
Sadly, Sevilla look to have won the race this summer.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers’ “master plan” has been revealed in a new Aaron Wan-Bissaka transfer update.
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