West Ham United might be pushing to sign Max Kilman from Wolverhampton Wanderers, writes Fabrizio Romano, but Julen Lopetegui will no doubt have the future of winger Mohammed Kudus in his mind.
Given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Lucas Paqueta, who had been expected to complete a move to Manchester City before being charged for betting breaches by the FA, the Hammers have been forced into turning toward alternative options to sell.
As per Football Insider, the Ghanaian star could now push for a move away following West Ham’s failure to qualify for Europe and David Moyes’ dugout departure last month. Having paid Ajax £38m to sign Kudus only one year ago, United would expect a pretty penny for his departure.
Luckily, a shrewd replacement is already being considered.
West Ham eyeing Kudus replacement
Should West Ham sign Kilman, Lopetegui’s former star at Molineux, it would require an outlay of £45m, and while Kudus’s sale would bring in some nice funds, there’s perhaps a reason that Tim Steidten and Co are opting to make a shrewd signing and bring Wilfried Zaha back to the Premier League.
So, according to Fotomac, West Ham have made Galatasaray an offer of £6m for Zaha, aged 31, though the Turkish Super Lig champions are holding out for £8m.
Zaha joined Gala after his contract expired with Crystal Palace one year ago, and while he’s impressed, negotiations between the two clubs are ongoing and this is certainly one to keep an eye on.
Imagine Wilfried Zaha at West Ham
Zaha scored 90 goals and supplied 62 assists across 458 appearances for Palace but moved to Turkey with sights set on performing on the continental stage before his career is up.
Imagine Wilfried Zaha at West Ham
Zaha scored 90 goals and supplied 62 assists across 458 appearances for Palace but moved to Turkey with sights set on performing on the continental stage before his career is up.
While Galatasaray came third in their Champions League group and subsequently lost in the Europa League round of 16 – against Sparta Prague – Zaha impressed throughout, scoring ten goals and adding five assists.
He notably bagged during his side’s resounding 3-2 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Champions League, with his wonderful, multi-faceted display showcasing his ability to thrive against the best that English football has to offer.
Once described as a “world-class” player by former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Zaha is an electric and artful winger who is blessed with sharp speed and innate intelligence. In many regards, he could mimic the role that Kudus performs in the Hammers’ first team.
Kudus, one of the Premier League’s most impressive athletes, ranks among the top 16% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 2% for successful take-ons and the top 5% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.
Zaha, too, knows his way around beating his opponent and rifling an almighty effort into the corner with constancy, and while he’s approaching the later stage of his career, for just £8m, West Ham should exhaust every effort in bringing him to the London Stadium.
His Premier League experience with Palace could allow him to hit the ground running at the London Stadium, as he would not need time to adapt to the division, which is why this could be a shrewd swoop for the club to make.
