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| David Moyes, head coach of West Ham, gestures during the UEFA Europa League round of 16 match between Sevilla FC and West Ham United at Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium on March 10, 2022, in Sevilla, Spain. |
West Ham United are reportedly ready to fork out €36
million for the services of Villarreal forward Arnaut Danjuma.
According to Relevo,
West Ham United are currently locked in negotiations with Villarreal regarding
a summer move for Arnaut Danjuma. The explosive forward reportedly has a
release clause worth €54 million, but the Premier League outfit are willing to
fork out a fee of around €36 million.
West Ham’s interest in Danjuma is hardly surprising
as the former Bournemouth starlet was one of the rising stars in La Liga and
European football this past season. Since joining Villarreal last summer, the
Dutch forward racked up 16 goals and four assists in just 34 competitive
appearances.
Six of his goals came in the UEFA Champions League,
with the forward helping the Yellow Submarine reach the semi-finals of the
coveted competition. In addition to his productivity upfront, Danjuma made
quite an impression with his dynamism and versatility in the final third.
In light of his success at Villarreal, multiple
clubs in England have expressed the desire to bring him back to the
Premier League. Liverpool were regarded as one of the top contenders to snap
him up in January, but a move did not materialise. The Merseyside giants ended
up settling for Luis Diaz, who has been an instant hit at Anfield.
Liverpool are unlikely to revisit their interest in
Danjuma this summer, having already roped in Darwin Nunez from SL Benfica. It opens up an avenue
for West Ham to launch a move to sign the Dutch forward, with the Londoners
already willing to fork out €36 million.
From a sporting perspective, Danjuma could turn out
to be an upgrade over Michail Antonio. The Dutchman can operate in the number
nine role, accompanying the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma in the
final third.
Danjuma is not the only star attacker targeted by
West Ham this summer, with the Hammers also tabling an offer for Jesse Lingard. The Englishman is a free
agent this summer and he could be tempted to a reunite with David Moyes. The
potential addition of Lingard and Danjuma could add a new dimension to West
Ham’s attacking play next season.
However, the Londoners have a long way to go before
they can reach an agreement with La Liga outfit Villarreal. As mentioned
earlier, the Dutch forward has a release clause of around €54 million and with
Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool also involved in the chase, this transfer saga could drag on for
quite some time, leaving West Ham in a spot of bother.
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