The transfer window is not even officially open and, yet, West Ham United’s pursuit of a new centre-forward is already one beset with obstacles and trip hazards.
West Ham like Strasbourg’s Ligue 1 sensation Emanuel Emegha. However, one of the rising stars of French football appears Chelsea-bound, the Blues benefiting from their shared ownership with the Liam Rosenior-led Alsace outfit.
Jonathan Burkardt is expected to become the latest potential superstar striker to hone his talents in Eintracht Frankfurt’s feted finishing school. The Germany international could fill an Omar Marmoush-shaped hole after firing Mainz into European action.
Furthermore, Hammers News understands that Jonathan David has little interest in joining West Ham at a time when Champions League clubs are expected to make their move for the soon-to-be free-agent.
And that is without mentioning Liam Delap. Like Emegha, the Ipswich Town talisman appears Chelsea-bound despite many a pundit claiming that Delap would be better off at the London Stadium.
So, where do West Ham United go from here?
If the answer to that question is ‘Yuri Alberto‘, then the comments made by Corinthians CEO Fabinho Soldado this week do little to suggest that a long-time transfer target is finally on his way to England, two years after West Ham saw a bid rejected.
Photo by Pedro H. Tesch/Getty Images
Photo by Pedro H. Tesch/Getty Images
Corinthians CEO plays down Yuri Alberto West Ham United reports
Yuri Alberto claimed Brazil’s Golden Boot at the end of 2024, having scored 31 goals in 57 games.
Agent Andre Cury has already confirmed that West Ham hold an interest in the ex-Zenit St-Petersburg man. An interest which can be traced back a number of years.
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However, during a week in which Yuri Alberto suffered a fracture in his back – an injury which will keep him out of action for the foreseeable future – Corinthians’ chief executive also went public to express his confidence that another window will roll on by without a deal being agreed.
“Yuri has a long contract with us [until the end of 2027],” Soldado begins. “He has already said that he wants to stay at Corinthians.
“Of course, given his performance – not only this year but last year as well – he has attracted interest. But nothing concrete has come of it. We cannot work with speculation.
“He is happy here, we are happy, we hope that he recovers from this injury as soon as possible to help us.”
West Ham and Wolves yet to reach advanced talks with Brazil striker
This comes only a few months after Augusto Melo – the Corinthians president – insisted that Yuri Alberto ‘is definitely going to stay’. A player linked with West Ham and a host of other Premier League clubs every time a transfer window creaks into life, then, may yet join Delap, Emegha, David and Burkardt in a growing list of centre-forwards destined to slip through Graham Potter’s hands.
There have been suggestions that West Ham could offer former Sao Paulo starlet Luizao to Corinthians as part of a player-plus-cash swap deal.
Brazilian reporter Jorge Nicola spoke to Andre Cury – Alberto’s representative – last week however and insisted that nothing is advanced with any of the 24-year-old’s cross-Atlantic suitors.
If Soldado is right, it must just stay that way too.
“The striker who was targeted by Sporting CP and West Ham now appears in the sights of Wolves,” Nicola said. “According to [reports], Wolves will present an offer in the next few days. Corinthians would be entitled to 17 million euros.
“I talked to Andre Cury before recording this video. He guarantees there is no official proposal, only preliminary talks seeking information.
“According to Andre, everything is still at the early stages because the window only opens in June.”