West Ham and Fulham might need to look elsewhereplaceholder image
West Ham and Fulham might need to look elsewhere | Getty Images
West Ham and Fulham are said to be on course to miss out on a striker deal.
West Ham and Fulham are said to be close to missing out on a deal to sign a new forward ahead of the new season. The Hammers managed a striker signing earlier this week when they landed Newcastle United forward Callum Wilson, but they could do with another option aside from Niclas Fullkrug and Wilson.
Meanwhile, Fulham also have two frontmen on their books between Rodrigo Muniz and Raúl Jimenez. Cottagers boss Marco Silva has made it clear he has not been happy with the club’s lack of business so far this summer.
He said: “Myself as a manager, and all the managers, they would prefer to have the squad almost complete in this stage of the pre-season. Until now, it's not been possible. And I understand the fans.
"But what I can tell them is we are working hard, we haven't started in terms of signings. But we have a lot of business to do in this market."
One forward who has been linked with both cubs this summer is Mehdi Taremi, who has struggled for form since joining Inter Milan from FC Porto last year. Taremi scored an impressive 64 goals in 122 league appearances for Porto, but he has scored just once in 26 league appearances for Inter.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Leeds are winning the race to sign the 33-year-old, ahead of Nottingham Forest, Fulham and West Ham. The Whites are looking to replace Patrick Bamford, who is free to leave the club, and they will be hoping the veteran can find the net to aid their bid for survival.
Interestingly, Leeds have also been linked with a move for Fulham’s Muniz, but that would leave the Cottagers in need of two frontmen with the start of the new season just around the corner.
Taremi struggled for form last season, and he was also said to have been struggling with injury through the season, regularly playing on painkillers. Even so, Taremi was part of an Inter side that reached the Champions League final, ultimately losing heavily to PSG.
Taremi said after the defeat: “It’s hard to find the right word. We’re hurting, because we know how much you believed in us. We wanted to give you that trophy, that moment, that joy. You deserved it.
“It hurts that we couldn’t make that happen, but we’re grateful for your love and support through it all. We don’t take it for granted. We’ll keep working, keep growing, and next season, we’ll come back stronger, with your support in our hearts. All for you, our amazing fans. Forza Inter.”
Inter are said to be asking for around £6.9million to sell Taremi, unable to command a big fee given the striker’s age. Leeds might see that as a bargain, or at the very least a cheap gamble, while West Ham and Fulham will have to look elsewhere if they want to add a striker to their respective squads before the summer window closes.
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