West Ham will reignite their interest in Juventus striker Simone Zaza after Carlos Bacca, for a second time this summer, turns down a move to West Ham.
According to Italian source Gazzetta dello Sport, AC Milan striker Carlos Bacca has thanked West Ham and David Sullivan for their offer but his heart is set on joining a Champions League club and has therefore turned it down.
After a bid worth €30m was accepted by Milan from the Hammers, a four-year contract worth €4.5m-a-year was put forward to Bacca and his representatives but after a lengthy reviewing process they have rejected the deal.
Bacca’s latest refusal to join West Ham comes after Milan announced he will not take part in the club’s pre-season tour of the USA, a decision that has reportedly irritated the striker.
It’s understood that the Hammers will leave their offer on the table to Bacca over the weekend and by Monday, should the 29-year-old Colombian still be against the move, they will pull their offer.
In the mean time, West Ham are stepping up their interest in Simone Zaza as a back-up option if the Hammers aren’t third-time lucky with Bacca, claims Gazzetta dello Sport.
The 25-year-old joined Juventus last summer from Sassuolo and scored just five goals in 19 appearances as Massimiliano Allegri’s fourth-choice striker.
Bundesliga side Wolfsburg have already had a €25m bid turned down for Zaza earlier in the window as the player weighs up his future, and he will be allowed to leave if he hands in a formal transfer request and will look for around €30m.
Juventus are believed to be edging closer to the signing of Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli which would spell the end of Zaza’s stay in Turin. The Italian international would rather stay in Serie A but will consider all options.
