Chelsea and Tottenham could lose out to West Ham United in the race for Elye Wahi, with the striker reportedly prioritising the Hammers.
According to Foot Mercato, West Ham United could steal a march on Elye Wahi to leave Chelsea and Tottenham behind in the race for the 19-goal striker. The Montpellier star has attracted plenty of interest from the London clubs. But he might prefer to join the Hammers if an offer came through.
Elye Wahi had a fantastic season with Montpellier, scoring 19 goals for the Ligue 1 side. Alongside Folarin Balogun, he was one of the promising young stars to break out in the French league. The consensus pointed towards him leaving the club for a new challenge. But with two weeks left in the transfer window, and nothing has changed.
West Ham United were considering a bid for Wahi after David Moyes accelerated his search for a new forward. Incidentally, the Hammers have also shown interest in Balogun. But Arsenal’s huge asking price could force them towards an alternative.
Wahi does seem like a cheaper alternative to Balogun, although Montpellier have already rejected a €27 million bid from Chelsea earlier. The Blues were front-runners at one point for the 20-year-old, but with their focus on other transfers, the Hammers may have stolen the march.
Chelsea could still enter the race. But as per the report, Wahi could prioritise a move to West Ham after evaluating every situation. Tottenham were also keen and have maintained an interest since Harry Kane’s departure to Bayern.
They could come in late for the striker with 19 goals last season. The only transfer issue will be around Tottenham’s willingness to pay a considerable fee and guarantee Wahi ample playing time. Richarlison is their current No.9, which could continue for the foreseeable future.
In comparison, West Ham remain desperate for a new striker to assume the starting role from Michail Antonio. The club might also consider an offer for the experienced Jamaican strikerinternational although any new arrival could start as Moyes’ No.9.
Hence, Wahi may have chosen West Ham as his ideal destination ahead of Chelsea or Tottenham. With two weeks left in the transfer window, the Hammers must get their act together. But they will do that once they settle the issue of bringing in a new defender after the Harry Maguire move collapsed.
