West Ham United want to sign Villarreal striker Samuel Chukwueze
West Ham United want to sign Villarreal forward Samuel Chukwueze this summer and have made contact about doing a deal, report Fichajes.net (4 June).
The Hammers narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League and have reached the final of the Europa Conference League, but have had an issue with scoring goals all season.
Danny Ings has failed to make an impact since joining in January, while there are lingering doubts about the futures of Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio, meaning the Nigerian star has emerged as a target for the London Stadium.
“At 24 years old, the Nigerian player has football characteristics that fit perfectly with the style of play practiced in England, which is why several Premier League teams have shown interest in signing Samuel Chukwueze and have gone to the Ceramic Stadium to ask about its purchase price,” they wrote.
“Unai Emery’s Aston Villa being one of the most insistent, being willing to pay the African player’s clause, which amounts to 50 million euros.
“In addition to Aston Villa , teams like West Ham United or Arsenal are among those most interested in acquiring the services of Villarreal’s talented African footballer next summer.”
Outstanding
Chukwueze’s number aren’t the most scintillating on paper, with seven goals and five assists in 43 appearances for the La Liga club in all competitions this season.
But his direct running style, speed, work rate and eye for a pass make him a constant threat for the opposition and someone you would always rather have on your team than be playing against.
His release clause stands at €50m (£43m) which is a pretty fair amount when you consider the way the market is right now, but most clubs would surely be looking to lower that considering his contract runs out in 2024.
If you’re able to bring him in for a slightly lesser fee, he would be a perfect compliment to the wingers and strikers we currently have at the club and would compete for a first-team role with Said Benrahma, Jarrod Bowen, Maxwel Cornet and Pablo Fornals, which is clearly a position the club want to strengthen.
It’s certainly one deal to keep an eye on if the reported outgoings prove to be accurate, because West Ham won’t want to go backwards. Chukwueze could be a shrewd bit of business.