We know the signing of a Premier League quality striker is very much to the fore as one at the top of our summer window shopping lists. News yesterday of the £35 million bid to Aston Villa for Jhon Duran serves as reassuring evidence to those who were concerned as to the size of the transfer budget following our successful capture of £40 million Max Kilman.
Indeed speculation about our interest in the loan market for players like Kelechi Iheanacho was generally pretty poorly received until news of the multi-million bid for a new striker came in yesterday, proof if any was needed that we are not ‘solely’ trying to bolster our attacking options with a ‘free’ or loan deal.
From Europe today comes an indication that potentially our net is narrowing as West Ham are reported to be ‘cooling’ on one of the previously identified targets:Spanish site Fichajes.net quotes Le Media 10 Sport who suggest Monaco and Roma are moving into pole position to secure the signature of one of Euro 24’s breakthrough strikers Georges Mikautadze.
If our management duo of Steidten and Lopetegui have prioritised negotiations for Jhon Duran then it would seem to be confirmed by the news the West Ham have ‘moved away from the competition’ from the two European clubs.
West Ham had, apparently, the highest offer in place for Mikautadze but have now cooled their interest. How much of this is the ‘smoke and mirrors’ of multi million player negotiations – we won’t know until one of them is photographed in the new club strip: Corroboration seems to be forthcoming from Europe that the Aston Villa striker is the preferred option.
Unless- perhaps we are all watching a Steidten masterclass at work again with ‘distraction’ offers hiding the real negotiations under the radar!