The interest of West Ham United in Braga forward Simon Banza has always stood out but they have yet to table a tempting offer to the Portuguese club and the player, and he could now consider a move to the United Arab Emirates instead, according to Portuguese outlet O Jogo.
It was believed that the 27-year-old DR Congo international had already played his last game for Braga, but he has resumed pre-season preparations and has been impressing.
West Ham want to bolster their striking ranks ahead of the new campaign following a disappointing 2023-24 season, but it appears they are not ready to bid for Banza or have no plans to launch a serious move for his services.
The Hammers have already missed out on Spain international defensive midfielder Aleix Garcia, who has chosen to join Bayer Leverkusen despite receiving an offer from them.
Banza recently received proposals from an unnamed club in the UAE, and the offer is very appealing to him.
Saudi Pro League clubs have also registered interest in the Braga star after he netted 23 times last term, and while they have brought juicy deals to the table, it appears the offer from the UAE is more tempting.
Despite having an opportunity to move to another top European league and club amid the interest from West Ham, AS Roma and Marseille, Banza is not against the idea of moving to the Middle East given the offers he has been getting.
West Ham and co have not been able to match those offers, and Braga will also be keen to do business with the highest bidder once the player is open to a deal.
They need to land a quality number 9 capable of firing them to a top-six finish, and Banza fits the bill, with 54 goals to his name over the last three campaigns in the Primeira Liga.
However, the Hammers are bound to miss out on him from the look of things as it appears he is now UAE-bound.
