West Ham are among three Premier League clubs who are tracking the progress of Strasbourg striker Joaquin Panichelli, according to journalist Dean Jones.
Speaking to TEAMtalk, Jones said that the Hammers are interested in the Argentinian international, along with Aston Villa and Chelsea:
“I have heard that Aston Villa are among clubs taking an interest in Panichelli, but they are not the only ones. West Ham have definitely had a look too, and obviously, because it’s Strasbourg, we can take it as a given that Chelsea are well versed on every aspect of him.”
Most Read on Hammers Headlines
“He’s been doing really well in France this season and he has a profile that could suit the Premier League very well. He’s strong, he leads well from the front, he’s technically good with his feet and his head.”
“I’m not totally sure how Villa view him in terms of a timeline, and I would be slightly surprised if it was for January because he would be a difficult signing right now, in my opinion. But finding a new forward is definitely a possibility for the next window.”
What do West Ham fans need to know about Panichelli?
The 23-year-old came through the ranks at River Plate before he was snapped up by Alaves at the beginning of 2023. However, he struggled to establish himsel at the Spanish club, and it was only when he was loaned out to Mirandes last season that he began to flourish.
Panichelli scored 21 goals in all competitions for the LaLiga2 outfit and it led to Strasbourg paying €17m for his services last July. He has gone on to score 10 times in 19 appearances for the French side so far this campaign.
Chelsea hold all the cards
As Jones alludes to, Strasbourg and Chelsea are part of the same ownership group, Blueco. The Blues effectively have the first option on any of their players.
What may help West Ham, though, is that Enzo Maresca’s side will be signing another Strasbourg forward, Emmanuel Emegha, at the end of the season, so that may clear the path for Panichelli to join another team if his asking price is met.
Read more about the West Ham First Team Squad for 2025/26 here