West Ham in Two-Way Fight For Greek Wonderkid

West Ham remain firmly in the hunt for Olympiacos forward Charalampos Kostoulas ahead of the summer transfer window.

Claret & Hugh were first to reveal the Hammers’ interest in the 17-year-old, who is widely tipped to become a major star in European football.

However, West Ham face serious competition from Manchester United, who are reportedly growing increasingly confident of securing the youngster’s signature.

Graham Potter currently has a shortlist of striker targets, and a top London Stadium source has confirmed to C&H that a centre forward remains a priority.

That said, Potter’s top targets have been described by insiders as overly ambitious, with West Ham unlikely to attract — or afford — names such as Samuel Omorodion Aghehowa.

A senior transfer source told Claret & Hugh: “It could be Jhon Durán all over again — West Ham are chasing Champions League players they can’t afford anyway.”

The Irons famously made a £45m bid for Durán in January, just weeks after Aston Villa had rejected a £70m offer from PSG. Similarly, West Ham were said to be £25m short of Porto’s valuation for Omorodion — highlighting a growing pattern of setting sights on players well outside the club’s financial reach.

Given that, it’s no bad thing to have more realistic backup options — and if Graham Potter can guarantee Kostoulas first-team football, it could give West Ham the edge over Manchester United.