West Ham have been “offered the chance” to sign Jota Silva this summer as they close out their deal for Luis Guilherme, according to Alex Crook. The talkSPORT journalist reported via their website on 11 June that Tim Steidten is now “weighing up” a move for the Portuguese attacker who is also of interest to Roma in Serie A.
However, the 24-year-old would prefer a move to the Premier League, and is reportedly keen on a London Stadium switch in particular [The Athletic, 4 June].
The Irons were said to be ready to pay Silva’s €20million [£17.2] release clause to beat competition from Brentford and Benfica [OJogo, 8 May], but after securing a deal for one wide attacker in 18-year-old Guilherme technical director Steidten is now to decide whether to pull the trigger on another in what is expected to be a “busy” transfer window.
Portuguese ace could join Luis Guilherme at West Ham
It sounds like a move for Silva might be less of a slog than the one that is about to be made official from Brazil, and the Portuguese isn’t excessively expensive.
Having sold Pablo Fornals in January, Said Benrahma expected to leave permanently this summer, and forgotten man Maxwel Cornet also potentially leaving [The Athletic, 4 June], there is plenty of scope to sign at least two wingers.
Julen Lopetegui may not have a reputation for being extremely expansive but after David Moyes’ pragmatism became a point of contention for sections of the fanbase it would get supporters excited to see the club recruiting more flair players to go with Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus.
Luis Guilherme is about to be the first West Ham signing under Julen Lopetegui.
Given how thin the options in forward areas have been allowed to become towards the end of the Scot’s reign there is also a clear need for a striker, and probably more than one as well.
Long-held links to Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri look set up to finally come through as he heads for the exit in Southern Spain and the Hammers bring in his former manager in La Liga, but the club have seemingly not moved for him yet [Football Espana, 10 June] and appear to be more focused on other targets.
Getting Guilherme in has proven to be no mean feat but now that he is about to become the first new arrival of the new era it might open the flood gates.
In other West Ham news, European double winners are prepared to sell another player that the Irons want to bring in this summer.
