Hammers linked with second bid for Cherries man

The Daily Mail are claiming West Ham will come back in with a second bid for Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson.

The Mail said “Bournemouth are anticipating further interest from West Ham in coveted striker Callum Wilson and winger Matt Ritchie though their £30million valuation for the pair has proved a deterrent so far. West Ham manager Slaven Bilic and his staff are working on various targets.”

Wilson and team-mate Matt Ritchie were the subject of a reported failed £20million bid from West Ham last month.

24-year-old Wilson told the Bournemouth Echo at the time: “I am a loyal person. I am grateful to Bournemouth for giving me the opportunity to play at a high level in the Championship.”

“We had a good season last year and got promoted and then I got my chance to play in the Premier League. I want to maintain that for as long as possible.”

And asked whether he had been surprised to have been the subject a bid after his recent injury, Wilson replied: “Because I had been out for six months, I didn’t take much notice of it. I had just come back from injury and then, all of a sudden, I was being linked with clubs. It was a bit unrealistic. You take confidence from your name being linked with big clubs.”

There is no doubt West Ham have scouted both Wilson and Ritchie for some time and their names are on a long list of summer targets. We also know they were subject to a Hammer bid in May, but whether it was really £20m is in serious doubt and whether we would ever pay £30m for the pair is in more serious doubt.