Report: West Ham submits formal bid for striker, who would become the club’s eighth most expensive signing ever.
Julen Lopetegui and Tim Steidten are clearly eager to secure a striker for West Ham before the January transfer window opens.
The January transfer window is set to be crucial for West Ham, and manager Julen Lopetegui, along with Tim Steidten, is clearly preparing for the upcoming period.
The Hammers’ head coach urgently needs a player to spearhead their attack, as Steidten’s decision to bring in Niclas Füllkrug has not yielded the expected results.
Both Lopetegui and Steidten are reportedly under pressure from the board following one particularly questionable summer signing: Brazilian youngster Luis Guilherme, who has yet to prove himself.
In a surprising turn, West Ham’s transfer team appears ready to gamble on another untested Brazilian player.
Reports suggest that Lopetegui is close to bolstering his attacking options, but the proposed fee for the new striker raises eyebrows.
According to Brazilian outlet Globo, the Hammers have sent board members to Brazil to submit a formal £30 million bid for Igor Jesus.
This amount would make him the club’s eighth most expensive signing in history.
The 23-year-old has scored eight goals and provided three assists in 22 appearances for Botafogo since joining in July on a free transfer.
Previously, he had a standout stint in the UAE with Shabab Al-Ahli Club, where he netted 43 goals and registered 20 assists in 87 matches.
However, his record in Brazil is less impressive, as he managed only five goals in 49 appearances for Coritiba Foot Ball Club at the start of his career.
As it stands, he remains unproven in the Premier League or anywhere else in Europe.
If the reports are accurate, it would indicate that West Ham is willing to invest £30 million in an untested striker this January, yet they hesitated to pay £8.5 million or more for a young manager who could potentially become one of the top figures in world football.
