“St Etienne Boss Drops JAW-DROPPING Reaction to Lucas Stassin’s £18M West Ham Move Rumors – You WON’T Believe His Bold Prediction!”

Was this the clearest sign yet that Lucas Stassin, St Etienne’s Belgium Under-21 international, is edging closer to the exit at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard?

West Ham United’s search for a new centre-forward has hit several dead ends in recent weeks.

Emmanuel Emegha looks poised to join Chelsea alongside Liam Delap, Yuri Alberto remains in Brazil, and Jonathan David continues to resist the Hammers’ advances.

Amidst the frustration, could Lucas Stassin emerge as the solution to lead Graham Potter’s attack next season?

Possibly.

Although a source recently told Hammers News that no formal talks had taken place with the French club, that stance might not hold for long.

St Etienne’s recent relegation to Ligue 2 has reportedly seen them lower their valuation of the 20-year-old striker to £18 million—a potentially attractive price for interested suitors.

As for his absence from the start of pre-season training, St Etienne manager Eirik Horneland offered a direct explanation.

According to the Norwegian coach, Stassin is currently sidelined while recovering from a foot operation he underwent earlier this month.

“Lucas Stassin had an operation on June 5th,” Horneland told Ma Ligue 2. “He should be available again by June 26th.”

Horneland went on to say he fully expects Stassin to remain at the club next season.

“I think he will stay. He’s a very good player, only 20 years old, and has a long contract with us. We invested heavily to bring him here.

He had a strong finish to the season after struggling in Ligue 1 early on. It’s important he builds on that momentum,” the manager explained.

“He’s under contract until 2028. It’s not just up to him—it’s our decision too.”

And while that may be true, the lure of top-flight football could prove difficult for the talented forward to resist, especially with several clubs reportedly circling.

In addition to West Ham, other suitors include Wolves and Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon—who are bracing for the possible departure of their prolific striker Viktor Gyokeres.

French sides Rennes, Lille, and Marseille could offer Stassin another crack at Ligue 1, while RB Leipzig are also said to be monitoring the situation.

Despite West Ham’s earlier insistence that no significant moves would be made until players are sold, the tone has shifted slightly.

A club source told Hammers News this week that “anything is possible”—a more optimistic outlook than previous cautious statements.

Stassin’s appeal is easy to understand. The dynamic attacker blends the traits of a number ten and a traditional number nine, offering creativity and clinical finishing in equal measure.

His performances in 2023/24 didn’t go unnoticed—he was named in the Under-21 Team of the Season by Rising Stars, alongside standout names like Lamine Yamal and Désiré Doué.

West Ham fans are already intrigued. After all, Stassin registered 17 goal contributions (goals and assists combined) in just 23 Ligue 1 starts, a rare bright spark in a struggling St Etienne side that ultimately went down.

If West Ham are ready to act, the opportunity might not be there for long. And if not, another ambitious club could easily swoop in.