While West Ham‘s director of football scours the Euros for potential signings, their pursuit of a particular Premier League forward hits a snag.
Tim Steidten, the Hammers’ transfer chief, is in Germany observing the European Championships for potential talent.
Despite the Euros offering a plethora of options, West Ham’s interest in a specific Premier League forward, Eddie Nketiah, remains. He has been on their radar for some time.
However, Arsenal’s ridiculous £50 million asking price for the 25-year-old striker throws a spanner in the works. This hefty price tag seems to be a major deterrent for West Ham.
There is no doubt about Nketiah’s finishing ability, pace, and nose for goal, but surely his overall performance does not justify such a high valuation.
It goes without saying that West Ham’s pursuit of Nketiah is currently on hold. They hopefully won’t even think about trying to meet Arsenal’s demands, perhaps they will try and negotiate a lower fee, or more likely or not shift their focus to other targets identified during the Euros or elsewhere.
So the other day we were informed here that we only have £60m to spend in this window. £20m of which has gone on Guilherme, who, Tim Vickery reckons is not ready for the Premier League yet anyway. So, how are we interested in Nketiah at £50m? He’s way overpriced and not good enough. En Nesyri is reportedly available at less than half the price and is proven at the highest level. That’s a no brainer signing.
£50mil. ?? LoL
$5mil. maybe.
I think £50 miln is outrageous, even in todays market £30 miln max nearer the true figure. In fairness we seem to be chasing a wide net and hopefully will get a few to make a squad. I am prepared to give the new playing regime their chance and hopefully we will have a better new season than the last. In fairness we have never in my 7 decades of watching this is the most exciting preseason ever. Successful?? we must wait and see.
Paying $50 million for Nketiah would be a massive mistake. He is a nice player, with a good finishing touch, but he does not make goals on his own with dribbling; his is primarily a poacher. He has never carried the striking load as a starter for more than a handful of games, and he performs much better in a starting role than as a substitute.
At $20 million, he’s be worth a gamble. At $25, maybe. More? Why? there are players with a better goal scoring record with more games under their belt available for less.
50 million for a player Arsenal don’t rate, who is wildly inconsistant. What a joke.
But good on ’em because if the pitiful amount we’re asking for Downes is indeed true, then obviously our dimwit owner has learned nothing. All he sees are the wages disappearing and forgets to charge a decent fee for the player.
The only surprising fee we’ve gotten is the one we got for our lad Grady. Everyone else he virtually gives away, but somebody is getting a cut…
“Nketiah’s finishing ability, pace, and nose for goal”
Last season he only got 5 Goals and 2 Assists in 27 games, that doesn’t scream finishing ability or nose for goal to me in what is a very good Arsenal team. Move on……….. we need someone who can possibly get us 15 – 20 goals a season, especially at that price as well.
Why am I feeling Daja vu start the transfer window by getting a youngster put in the youth team to never been seen again. All following deals to hit a snag and lose out to another team. Panic deals at the end of the window that are too late and miss out. Pick up the scraps of which is left maybe a player loan maybe off load two players and not replace them so time will tell
Why is there so many snags in West Ham transfers.