Dutch giants Ajax are in talks with West Ham to sign Sebastien Haller for barely over half of the fee that the Hammers paid for him.
The Amsterdam club, who have a rich European history, had submitted a bid of €25m (£22.57m) according to Get French Football News.
French sources L’Equipe and Get French Football News reported on Wednesday that a deal was done and the striker was set for a return to Dutch football, but separate reports from Sky Sports claimed that such stories are premature and that the Hammers are considering waiting for the summer to offload the Ivorian international.
This is because it would be easier to line up an adequate replacement without having the time pressures of the much shorter January window. It is also claimed that the two clubs remain locked in talks and have yet to agree a fee for the player.
Haller has enjoyed a difficult and largely frustrating spell in east London, having scored just 10 goals in 44 league appearances for the Hammers since his club record £45m move from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2019. Despite his struggles, West Ham legend Joe Cole described Haller’s abilities as ‘unreal’.
Haller previously enjoyed a productive spell in Dutch football with FC Utrecht, where he scored 51 goals in 98 appearances.
Read West Ham Verdict
The West Ham board would do well to hold off from sanctioning a sale until at least the summer. The Hammers will not want to be caught out in the market and be left with just Michail Antonio, who has struggled with injury issues, as their sole centre-forward option.
Any sale should be conditional on Ajax increasing their offer sothat the Hammers can recoup the majority of the fee they paid for him – and Moyes’ side would still need to sign a replacement first.
