West Ham are looking to bolster their forward department in the summer window and they have been linked with a move for Braga forward Simon Banza.
According to a report from O Jogo, a host of clubs, including West Ham, Roma, and Marseille, have shown keen interest in signing the 27-year-old striker. However, he prefers a move to Saudio Pro League instead.
Banza scored 23 goals last season for the Portuguese club and his performances caught the attention of several top clubs including the Hammers.
The Portuguese newspaper reported in the print edition (page 14) that the player has no hesitation in ditching European clubs to move to Saudi Arabia to secure his financial future.
The Saudi Pro League club (the identity is unknown) have made a move already, and Banza has welcomed the offer presented to him.
While West Ham continue to monitor him, it is becoming increasingly clear where Banza’s priority lies. The reality is that the offer from the Saudi Pro League club is close to being finalised.
West Ham look for other options
The Hammers are very busy securing some signings at the earliest. Julen Lopetegui has been keenly following the Brazilian market, and West Ham have been linked with a host of Brazilian players recently.
Bolstering the forward department is a priority for the Hammers. It is one area that has been neglected for years. Michail Antonio is approaching the fag end of his career. Jarrod Bowen is not a natural number nine, although he did incredibly well playing upfront last season.
According to Fabrizio Romano, West Ham have reached an agreement to sign the 18-year-old forward Luis Guilherme. But whether they will look to sign another established striker remains to be seen.
In case they are still keeping tabs on Banza, it is high time they shift focus elsewhere because the Hammers will not be able to offer anywhere near the kind of money the Middle East clubs can present. It’s a blow for them, anyway.
