Report: West Ham in pole position to sign £17m forward, club in talks to land 18-goal star – originally posted on Sportslens.com
Lady Karren Brady recently described West Ham’s 2020-21 campaign as a “fantastic season”, and she thanked David Moyes for taking the club to Europe next season.
The summer transfer window is absolutely crucial for the Hammers. The club must back Moyes with funds, and help him get the right profile of players.
Signing a striker should be one of the top priorities for West Ham. During the January transfer window, the Hammers were linked with a host of forwards, following the departure of Sebastien Haller. Eventually, they signed Jesse Lingard on loan from Manchester United, and it turned out to be a masterstroke signing.
Back in January, West Ham were heavily interested in signing Montpellier striker Gaetan Laborde.
This is what SL reported at that time:
“According to the Telegraph, the 26-year-old striker is on David Moyes’ radar after impressing with the French outfit.
“The Hammers are thought to be considering a £16 million deal to sign the striker and Montpellier are expected to listen to offers for Laborde.”
The deal didn’t materialise in the end. However, West Ham still retain an interest in the Frenchman who impressed heavily last season.
Laborde is a versatile attacking midfielder who can play in all three positions up front. Last season, he managed 18 goals and eight assists in all competitions.
According to reports from L’Equipe (h/t Sport Witness), the Hammers are in pole position to sign him. They are not alone in the race, with the likes of Villarreal, Lille, Rennes, Zenit St Petersburg and Bayer Leverkusen are also keen to land him.
Both West Ham and Zenit are in talks to sign him. Laborde feels that he has reached the end of his career with Montpellier and that he is seeking a new adventure. The French club are demanding a fee in the region of £17m.
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