Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is plotting a summer swoop for West Ham striker Enner Valencia, according to the Daily Star.
The Ecuadorian has become a fan favourite at Upton Park, heavily praised for his tireless play and strong work ethic on the pitch, which are key attributes that Mourinho looks for n his attacking players.
There was talk of a £20m bid from Chelsea for Valencia towards the end of the winter transfer window, amid reports of a release clause around that figure available to Champions League clubs, but nothing materialised.
With Mohamed Salah not expected to be a part of the Chelsea set up next season, and Didier Drogba’s future uncertain, Mourinho wants to add Valencia to his depleted forward ranks behind Diego Costa.
Valencia burst onto the scene at the World Cup, scoring all three of Ecuador’s goals at the competition, earning him a £12m move to West Ham from Mexican side Pachuca, where he was the nations leading scorer.
Since then, his West Ham career has been very stop-start in terms of goal production, but his work rate for the side never goes unnoticed.
