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West Ham are closing in on securing the signature of Viking winger Edvin Austbo, according to reports.
A source has told Hammers News that the London club are now optimistic that they will wrap up a deal for the Norwegian Under-21 international in the near future:
“It is true we want the player, and we hope a deal can be done soon. It’s not done, and there are still bits to do, but we hope it can be concluded; he’s a player we really like.”
Negotiations have been tough, with Hammers News claiming that the club have had to increase their opening bid by 50%, but there is now a belief that an agreement can be reached for a fee in the region of £12m.
What do fans need to know about Austbo?
The 21-year-old came through the ranks of Viking, making his senior debut during a Norwegian Cup tie against Rosseland BK in May 2022 – a match in which he also got on the scoresheet.
Since then, Austbo spent a brief spell out on loan at Sandnes Ulf in 2023, before returning to establish himself as a regular starter for Viking. He has gone on to score 18 goals and provide 13 assists in 78 appearances. His latest strike came against Dinamo Zagreb during a Champions League qualifier a few days ago. His team won the second leg 3-1 and secured themselves a place in the league phase of the tournament.
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West Ham have backed away from signing another winger
The pursuit of Austbo appears to have ended the Irons’ interest in Reiss Nelson. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side looked set to pay £3m to bring the 26-year-old to the London Stadium.
However, they held off on completing the move, and the winger has subsequently left Arsenal on a free transfer, having agreed to mutually terminate his contract.