Serie A side Lazio have launched a bid to sign Enner Valencia on a season-long loan with a mandatory €12m purchase option, according to Sky Italia journalist Manuele Baiocchini.
Twitter: #Lazio offerta di prestito con obbligo riscatto a 12M € per #EnnerValencia ma il #WestHam ne chiede 15 a titolo definitivo (@ManuBaio)
With Slaven Bilic eager to sign a top-quality striker this summer, it’s believed that Valencia will likely be on the way out to make room in the squad for a new arrival.
The striker netted four times in 19 appearances last season in a campaign heavily hit by injury, but a return of just 10 goals in 61 appearances in two years is not the return David Gold and David Sullivan were expecting.
His lack of club form doesn’t translate to the international stage. The Hammers signed Valencia after he scored all three of Ecuador’s goals at the 2014 World Cup, and the 26-year-old scored twice in four games at this summer’s Copa America taking his tally for Ecuador to 16 goals in 29 games.
Lazio have stepped up their interest in the former Pachuca striker and have made an offer to take Valencia on a season-long loan with a mandatory purchase option worth €12m (approximately £10m).
West Ham shelled out over £12m for Valencia back in 2014 and would like to recoup as much of that as possible. Bilic and co. are pushing for a straight €15m sale (approximately £12.6m).
Lazio aren’t alone in their pursuit of the Ecuadorian, with Super Lig giants Galatasaray have also made a move to sign Valencia, offering the East London club €1m to take him on loan for the 2016/17 season with a view to buy next summer.
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