The Hammers are still searching the transfer market for more offensive punch.
Disappointed with Premier League rivals Aston Villa’s hefty £40 million asking price for wantaway attacker Jhon Duran, West Ham has moved its focus to Salernitana forward Boulaye Dia this summer.
To lessen the workload for England international Jarrod Bowen under Julen Lopetegui the next season, the Hammers are rumored to be looking for a goal scorer this summer. Callum Wilson of Newcastle United and Ivan Toney, the star for Brentford, were among the players who had been connected, but Duran seemed to be the most likely to transfer to the London Stadium this week.
The Villa player is eager to complete the transfer, and the Midlands club is willing to sell. He recently appeared to make an Irons symbol with his arms on social media. Villa wants an additional £10 million for a player who only joined the team in January 2023, despite West Ham’s £30 million bid for the 20-year-old.According to TeamTALK, West Ham has made the decision to pursue Senegal international Dia with a £7.5 million offer, abandoning the previous agreement. Although Everton was linked to the player in January, a move was not approved.The Toffees are thought to still be keen in the midfielder, whose club was demoted from the Serie A last season. Dia managed just four goals throughout the campaign but missed big sections with injury. Watch – The Premier League Panel: Best and worst signingsThe striker has previously played for Villareal in Spain and Reims in France. He was a member of Senegal’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations winning team.The news of West Ham’s interest in Dia is a blow to Everton’s aspirations of signing the player and to Aston Villa’s attempt to cash in on Duran, as the report implies that Dia has ‘no intention’ of playing in Serie B and will push for a move.
