When David Sullivan tried -and failed – to bring in Jhon Duran last winter with the fabled – £57 million bid, the Hammers didn’t have that amount of cash in the bank account but would have attempted to structure a deal over several years. So when new reports arise detailing interest in €30 million frontmen – which seems about West Ham’s level- these need not be dismissed as spurious. In the world of ‘buy now deal with PSR over three years’ Premier league football, it’s all about the structuring of a payment programme to satisfy both clubs.
West Ham are still believed to be owed an estimated £11 million, for example, for the sale of **Saïd Benrahma** to Nice two years ago.
So the headline figure published for a ‘Hammers target’ can be misleading and is often not so important as the terms negotiated: A £40 million striker might be more attainable for the Irons if a payment deal is negotiated over four years rather than a straightforward ‘cash on the nail’ £30 million asking price.
Galatasaray’s long-standing Hammers target **Baris Alper Yilmaz** – according to [_insidefutbol.com’s_](https://insidefutbol.com/2025/05/23/price-galatasaray-looking-for-to-sell-aston-villa-and-west-ham-target-clear/684224/) article today, has been priced at €30 million by his Turkish club but this need not be prohibitive for West Ham:
“_Galatasaray star Yilmaz has emerged as a top option, with Aston Villa monitoring him closely and West Ham suggested to even be at the stage where they are making efforts to put a deal in place.”_
Clearly the terms will be the key. Yilmaz has long been on West Ham’s radar but operating as a winger or a front man rather than an out and out striker – perhaps more in the Bowen mode than the Fullkrug mode- would not make him a first choice for Graham Potter. He was linked with Liverpool last year, for example, as possible recruit when Mohammed Salah’s contract was winding down.
One report for Wolves last year likened him more to Gareth Bale. Better out-and-out striker options are out there for €30 million but then, that’s what one critic said of the first rumour of Niclas Fullkrug heading to London. Stranger things have happened and at least Yilmaz does have electric pace.