West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing 23-year-old Blackburn Rovers hitman Ben Brereton Diaz in the upcoming summer transfer window.
According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, West Ham United are looking to raid the free-agent market this summer, with highly-rated Championship hotshot Ben Brereton Diaz believed to be on their radar as David Moyes looks to add a striker to supplement Michail Antonio.
Regarded as one of the standout strikers in the EFL Championship, Brereton Diaz’s rise to prominence has been nothing short of a revelation. Since moving to Ewood Park for a £7 million fee back in 2019 on the back of a successful loan spell from Nottingham Forest, the Chilean international has grown leaps and bounds and is enjoying the most fruitful season of his career to date.
The 23-year-old was on fire during the first half of the the2021/22 season, bagging 20 goals in 25 league games for Blackburn up until the new year. However, his scoring streak has taken a drastic dip since then, and he has only netted once in his last 10 Championship outings, while an ankle ligament injury has not helped his cause either.
Brereton Diaz’s rough patch of form has coincided with Blackburn dropping out of the conversation for automatic promotion and into a playoff scrap. Having won only once since the end of February a return to the Premier League is now seeming difficult for Tony Mowbray’s side. So, it is no surprise that Brereton Diaz is nearing the exit door.
Despite the recent slump in his form, Brereton Diaz’s stock remains high, with a host of Premier League clubs such as Brighton, Leeds, and Newcastle United vying for his services. West Ham have also rekindled their interest in the Blackburn striker and are keeping close tabs on his situation after missing out on him in the January transfer window.
West Ham’s search for a striker has been well-documented ever since Sebastien Haller was sold, and despite countless links, no player has come through the door. While Antonio stepped up to the plate early in the season, the Jamaican target-man has lost his scoring touch in recent months and appears to have been overworked. So, a long-term solution is definitely needed.
To that end, Brereton Diaz could be an excellent alternative. He has certainly shown the qualities of a Premier League striker and fits the profile of Moyes’ signing – he is young, fast, versatile and has that South American flair with a poacher’s instincts. His form for Chile has also put him in the European shop window with Spanish sides Atletico Madrid and Sevilla also queuing up for him.
As per Galetti, Brereton Diaz’s Blackburn Rovers contract expires in the summer, but other reports have claimed that Rovers do hold the option of a one-year extension and have activated it to preserve their asset’s value. Either way, the 23-year-old is expected to make a step up this summer. Whether the South American attacker ends up moving to East London remains to be seen.
