West Ham ‘want Francisco Conceicao transfer’ amid £25m gentleman’s agreement
Graham Potter has already set his sights on the summer transfer window with West Ham United’s season already one to forget.
Potter suffered a fourth loss in all competitions from just six games in charge of the Irons so far, with his side once again proving to be extremely limited in attack throughout their 1-0 home loss to Brentford.
As a result, the Hammers are 16th in the Premier League table – their lowest position of a woeful season so far – and Potter will join many fans in hoping their last 13 games pass as quickly as possible.
Last summer’s head-scratching recruitment strategy at West Ham has lumbered Potter with an uneven squad incapable of hitting their previous heights, and that needs to change fast come the summer.
West Ham want headline Francisco Conceicao transfer
Although the Hammers have a plethora of wide attacking talent in Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus and Crysencio Summerville, they’re keen to add to their options further in the form of Francisco Conceicao.
Italian outlet JuveFC.com reported on 17 February that the Irons, Fulham, Wolves and AC Milan are all “keeping tabs” on the Juventus winger, who is lighting up Serie A on loan from Portuguese side from Porto this season.
The 22-year-old’s future is up in the air despite Juve and Porto seemingly having a “gentleman’s agreement” for a £25million permanent transfer in the summer, and that figure certainly won’t deter West Ham’s pursuit.
Francisco Conceicao transfer could revolutionise West Ham
The Irons’ interest in Conceicao has been revealed just hours after he scored the only goal in Juventus’ Derby d’Italia victory over Scudetto-chasing rivals Inter, further enshrining him in the eyes of their fans.
As a result, stepping in to undercut the Bianconeri’s agreement with Porto to seal a transfer of their own looks tricky for West Ham, but they’ll certainly be able to match or beat a fee of just £25m this summer.
Of the Hammers’ new signings last summer, four cost them £25m or more, but out of Crysencio Summerville, Luis Guilherme, Niclas Fullkrug and Max Kilman, only the latter has been a regular fixture.
Plucking Conceicao from one of two expectant Champions League sides next season looks to be a tall order after their own dismal campaign, but the financial might of the Premier League cannot be ignored.
Conceicao could reunite with his father Sergio at AC Milan – who had been a coaching target of West Ham’s – but with three English sides on his coat-tails, the Irons will be confident that they can win out.