West Ham have lodged a club-record £23.5m bid to beat Arsenal, Manchester United and Barcelona to the signing of Lyon star Alexandre Lacazette.
According to the Telegraph, the Hammers have entered talks with the Ligue 1 side to sign their star striker this summer, and will pay top-dollar to do so.
Slaven Bilic has been tasked with recruiting a top quality striker, and is expected to smash the club’s £15m transfer record to do so.
A 20-goal a season forward is what’s demanded, and the 24-year-old French international has topped that number in each of the last three seasons in all competitions.
Lacazette has been capped 10 times by France since making his debut in 2013, scoring one goal and is expected to lead the line for the country when they host the Euros this summer.
Linked with Arsenal, Manchester United and Barcelona in recent times, Lacazette was the subject of bids from both Stoke and Newcastle back in January and not some of Europes top sides.
Named France’s Player of the Year last season following a 29-goal campaign, it’s believed Lacazette would cost more than the £23.5m reported as Lyon would be holding out for much more.
In an interview with the Telegraph in January, the striker revealed he was “thinking about [a move to] the Premier League” and would be open to it – but only to a club playing European football.
The Hammers currently sit fifth in the Premier League table with just three games left to secure European football next season. How do they do it? Here’s every scenario in which West Ham will qualify for European football next season.
Bilic has also opened talks with Argentine side Racing club over the signature of 26-year-old striker Gustavo Bou, who has 29 goals in 58 games for the club since signing from River Plate.
Should the Hammers fail to land Lacazette this summer, the Telegraph understands that Christian Benteke and Michy Batshuayi are both on their shortlist, with the latter also wanted by rivals Tottenham.
