West Ham United have already held initial talks to sign a player who Leeds and Sunderland believe would be a transformative signing, according to a report today.
West Ham revival sparks genuine survival hope
Nuno Espírito Santo did not oversell it. After watching his side hold Man United to a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium last week — only for a 96th-minute Benjamin Sesko volley to steal the points they had worked so hard for — the West Ham head coach was measured but defiant.
West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo-1
"We showed today this is the way we need to compete in every game," he said.
He was not wrong. The performance, for all the gut-punch of the final whistle, showed what this West Ham side are capable of when they are at it.
Three wins from four league outings before that draw had breathed genuine life into a relegation battle that had looked increasingly desperate earlier in the season.
Sitting 18th with 24 points from 26 games — just three off safety — the Hammers are still very much in this fight.
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The Hammers scraped past them on a tense afternoon with 10 men.
Saturday's clash against Bournemouth at the London Stadium is as important as any they have faced all season. Lose, and the pressure becomes suffocating.
Win, and the mood shifts entirely. That is the knife-edge West Ham are living on right now.
What makes it all the more urgent is a glaring problem that Nuno has been unable to fix.
West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo reacts
West Ham have dropped a staggering 20 points from winning positions this season — more than any other club in the division.
They can create, they can lead, but they cannot kill games off.
While this is a major issue for the Portuguese to solve, West Ham are currently riding a wave of momentum, having lost just once in their last seven matches across all competitions.
They would be undefeated if not for their stunning 3-2 collapse at Chelsea, where they held a two-goal lead, with Nuno inspiring recent performances that suggest they could well be in the Premier League next season after all.
If the Irons do stay up, reports suggest that West Ham are making some transfer plans ahead of the summer window.
They've also apparently already held preliminary discussions over a summer move for one of the most prolific young forwards in European football.
The player in question is 24 years old, has racked up 39 goals across his past season and a half in Belgium with Union Saint-Gilloise, and is attracting serious attention from clubs across the continent.
West Ham hold 'initial talks' to sign Promise David
That man is Promise David, according to TEAMtalk's Graeme Bailey.
promise-david
His route to prominence has been anything but conventional — stints in Croatia, Malta and Estonia shaped him before Union SG took a chance and watched him flourish spectacularly.
West Ham have held 'initial talks' over signing David, and should the Hammers secure their top-flight survival, they fully intend to return to the table after missing out in January.
His admirers go beyond the London Stadium as well.
According to Bailey, he is viewed by Leeds and Sunderland as a player 'capable of transforming their forward options', with both sides receiving glowing reports from scouts.
Newcastle are also firmly in the picture, with their recruitment team tracking David for months
However, it is West Ham who are taking the initiative and 'pushing hard' for the centre-forward right now, with the race poised to heat up even more this summer.
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They're better off without him.