West Ham United now want to sign an “unbelievable” midfielder for free in the summer, at which point his contract is set to expire, according to a report.
Quiet deadline day for West Ham
The Hammers confirmed the arrival of 20-year-old striker Evan Ferguson on a loan deal from Brighton & Hove Albion on deadline day, but otherwise they were relatively quiet, after missing out on a deal for another forward.
West Ham had been pushing to sign FC Lorient’s Eli Junior Kroupi, and they even agreed a £35m deal for the young Frenchman, but he ultimately ended up completing a move to Premier League rivals AFC Bournemouth for a far lower fee.
ExWHUEmployee has since confirmed the Cherries were able to win the race for Kroupi’s signature as they are a sister club of Lorient, with the 18-year-old set to remain in France on loan for the remainder of the season.
Not only were the Irons keen to sign another striker, but they were also pursuing a midfielder in the winter transfer window, engaging in talks over a deal to sign Lille midfielder Angel Gomes.
West Ham United’s upcoming Premier League fixtures
Date
Brentford (h)
February 15th
Arsenal (a)
February 22nd
Leicester City (h)
February 27th
Newcastle United (h)
March 10th
Everton (a)
March 15th
Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath has since revealed Gomes is set to remain at Lille for the remainder of the season before making a decision on his future, having attracted the interest of a number of Premier League clubs.
Rather than making a move on deadline day, the midfielder made the decision to assess his options in the summer, at which point West Ham are keen to sign him on a free transfer, alongside Tottenham Hotspur.
Gomes could be a quality addition
The England international has cemented his place as a key player for Lille over the past few seasons, displaying his attacking prowess by registering eight assists in 31 Ligue 1 appearances last term.
During his time with Manchester United, the £11k-per-week maestro was lauded as “unbelievable” by Nicky Butt, and his performances for Lille indicate he could now be ready to prove himself in the Premier League.
West Ham are well-stocked in attacking midfield, with Lucas Paqueta remaining a regular starter this season, but the opportunity to sign Gomes on a free transfer is too good to turn down, so they should look to secure a pre-contract agreement in the coming months.