West Ham United are reportedly preparing to make a move to sign Rangers striker Hamza Igamane, as per transfer expert Mike Brown.
The Hammers need to sign new faces in several areas of the squad as numerous players are set to leave as free agents this summer. Michail Antonio and Danny Ings are among them, and following their departure, the Irons will be left with Niclas Fullkrug as the only centre-forward option.
Graham Potter added depth to the No.9 position by signing Evan Ferguson on a loan deal last winter. However, his performances weren’t good enough to purchase him permanently, so he has been sent back to Brighton.
Therefore, West Ham have been exploring the market to sign a new striker this summer. Now, on Football Insider, Brown says that after scouting Igamane closely last season, the Hammers have decided to make a move to hire him.
However, the East London club aren’t convinced yet that Igamane is good enough to flourish in the Premier League. So, they’ll evaluate other options as well before signing anyone to bolster the frontline.
Brown said:
“West Ham are about to make a formal move for Igamane. They’ve had scouts up there watching him and he’s one of the names on their radar. But I’m told they’re not convinced he’s ready to make the step up to the Premier League.”
Igamane to West Ham
The 22-year-old still has four years left in his current contract with the Scottish giants, so they aren’t in any rush to cash-in. However, if a Premier League club of West Ham’s stature eventually make a concrete approach, it would be difficult for Rangers to keep hold of him.
After moving to Ibrox Stadium from Moroccan side AS FAR Rabat last summer, Igamane enjoyed a promising campaign last term, scoring 16 goals and registering two assists.
It is going to be interesting to see whether the East London club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his service in this transfer window.
Meanwhile, apart from signing a new striker, West Ham will also have to hire new fullbacks as Aaron Cresswell and Vladimir Coufal are set to leave for free. Moreover, Emerson Palmieri could also depart over the coming weeks.