West Ham United set to abandon another transfer pursuit in latest frustration for Tim Steidten
West Ham are ready to pull out of the race to sign Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United, according to talkSPORT.
The outlet reported via their website on 30 July that the Dutch winger is proving too expensive for the Hammers who are only prepared to pay around half of his £40million asking price at Elland Road.
The Whites’ sale of Archie Gray to Tottenham for a similar fee has helped the Championship club stand their ground on Summerville and the fee is “likely” to be too much for the Hammers.
Tim Steidten has already seen attempts to sign the likes of Jean-Clair Todibo, N’Golo Kanté and Noussair Mazraoui fall flat and Summerville could now join that list.
Crysencio Summerville too expensive for West Ham from Leeds
Summerville was always likely to be an expensive prospect but after Leeds lost their homegrown star to Spurs in Gray that made it all the more likely.
Julen Lopetegui has already been provided with one new winger in Luis Guilherme but the attacking areas had been allowed to get so thin previously that pursuing another is no surprise.
However, with a striker surely of greater need amid the drawn-out process of attempting to sign top target Jhon Duran from Aston Villa [The Athletic, 12 July] the budget will have to be managed.
If exit deals can’t be secured for centre-backs Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma it is likely to be harder to afford to shell out big money repeatedly, with Max Kilman already secured for a sizeable fee as well.
Leeds also know that there is no shortage of interest in their wide man so there looks to be little incentive for them to reduce their asking price.
Most clubs probably experience their fair share of failure during any given transfer window but the list of targets who have proven to be out of reach to Steidten is getting substantial.
If the club manage to get the required business done before the deadline that might be considered an occupational hazard, but if key signings aren’t made questions are likely to be asked.
In other West Ham news, the Irons are now working on a deal to sign a highly-rated French forward amid frustration over Duran.
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