The quest for a new striker at West Ham took another twist over the weekend as a bid was reportedly made and duly rejected for Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri, according to The Athletic.
A fresh report from Spanish publication Estadio Deportivo has since emerged claiming the Hammers’ offer of a reported €25m + €5m (£22.24m + £4.45m) for the 23-year-old was in fact ‘clearly insufficient’.
The report added that, should West Ham return for the striker, their bid would have to be ‘significantly higher’ to even stir the La Liga side into considering selling their top scorer.
En-Nesyri, a 35-cap Morocco international, is enjoying his best start to a season in Spain after joining Europa League holders Sevilla from Leganes last January for £18m.
It seems as though David Moyes is well and truly in the market for a centre-forward to supplement Michail Antonio, who as things stand is the only recognised senior striker at the club.
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Having recently bagged a match-winning hat-trick against Real Sociedad, it’s little surprise that Sevilla would attach a premium value on the Moroccan’s head.
This is a deal which may unfortunately prove to be financially unviable for the Irons, who would likely be willing to reinvest the money received for the sale of Sebastien Haller, with little added on. Even the reported offer is almost exactly in line with the fee Ajax paid for the departed Ivorian, which is hardly a coincidence.
Breaking the bank for a player who is unproven in England would represent a huge risk, one the Hammers may perhaps be even less willing to take after the ill-fated Haller episode.
