West Ham turning to £51m striker ahead of transfer deadline

 

 

Flamengo striker Pedro is emerging as a key target for West Ham United ahead of the transfer deadline.

That is according to a report from The Mirror (31/08, p52), who claim that West Ham are turning their attention to

Pedro.

It’s stated that technical director Tim Steidten has been in Brazil this week to try and thrash out a deal for

Corinthians star Yuri Alberto.

Corinthians have blocked the move though and Steidten is turning to Pedro as a potential late signing for West Ham.

Pedro has a huge release clause worth around £51million but the striker is expected to be available for much less.

This comes after The Sun’s Alan Nixon reported that West Ham were attempting a £26million deal for Pedro before

the deadline.

West Ham will know that time is against them here though with Pedro needing to get over from Brazil and go

through a medical – and that’s only if West Ham can thrash out a deal with Flamengo.

The Copa Libertadores isn’t an obstacle with Flamengo already out and West Ham will hope that Pedro is available

ahead of the deadline.

 

 

West Ham aren’t the only club to have looked into signing Pedro this summer.

The Independent reported in July that Spurs were considering Pedro as they considered life after Harry Kane.

Kane has now moved on to Bayern Munich but it would be a surprise if Tottenham make a move now.

Spurs seem to be going for a versatile attacker like Brennan Johnson rather than a number nine like Pedro.

The Brazilian seems ready for another shot at European football and it could come with West Ham.

Pedro hit 31 goals in 93 games for Fluminense to land a 2019 move to Fiorentina, where he played just four times.

That meant Pedro headed back to Brazil, joining Flamengo on loan before turning the move permanent.

Pedro has now racked up 97 goals in 200 games for Flamengo and has now picked up six caps for Brazil.

A classic number nine at 6ft 1in tall, Pedro has matured his game and now seems ready for another shot in Europe –

if West Ham can strike a deal.

 

 

 

READ MORE:

West Ham United increase major Hugo Ekitike offer as they refuse to give up on PSG striker transfer

The Les Bons Conceil Du Sports editor reported via Twitter Thursday night (31 August) that the Hammers were

ready to up their offer as they would “not let go” of the pursuit for the 21-year-old striker.

It had earlier been reported the same day by Sports Zone that the Irons would pay as much as €40m [£34.2m] but

the French giants had “blocked” the move because they want to deal with Eintracht Frankfurt instead, despite

agreement with the French forward himself.

 

 

Ekitike has been named as the likely new focus of Tim Steidten’s attentions after the technical director returned

“empty handed” from Brazil, with the Daily Mail’s Kieran Gill stating on the penultimate day of the window that

West Ham “really like” the Parc des Princes youngster.

The club have already provided a major late boost to the attacking areas with the arrival on Mohammed Kudus from

Ajax.

If PSG want to do a deal with Frankfurt in order to help them sign Randal Kolo Muani then this is clearly going to be

an uphill struggle.

Money usually talks in the transfer window but one club for whom the Premier League’s financial might has less

effect is likely to be the Qatar-backed Ligue 1 side.

However, it is clear that the Irons aren’t giving this one up without a fight and are ready to spend big to land Ekitike,

and if he is open to the move himself then there is scope for it to still get done.

 

 

PSG have already told Ekitike that he isn’t needed in Paris [L’Equipe, 9 August] so if their primary concern is making

a move for Kolo Muani more acceptable on the balance sheet then a bigger fee to sell their unwanted current forward

might change their minds.

Since the pursuits of Yuri Alberto and Pedro in Brazil have come to nothing the options now appear to be down to

Ekitike and Youssef En-Nesyri, who David Moyes has been after for a long time now.

Whether the club decides to turn to the Sevilla man before 11pm Friday remains to be seen but if the money on offer

for Ekitike has reached this level he certainly appears to be the priority.

In other West Ham news, the club are “furious” about a “scandalous” deadline day situation where they could yet

see four first-team players all leave.