West Ham United are reportedly still keeping tabs on LOSC Lille winger Jonathan Bamba, who could be on the move in the summer transfer window.
According to Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, LOSC Lille attacker Jonathan Bamba could be ready to leave the club in the upcoming transfer window, with his contract expiring in 2023. Premier League club West Ham United are among the teams interested in the French forward.
Bamba came through the youth ranks at AS Saint-Etienne and had loan stints away at Paris FC, Sint-Truiden and SCO Angers before he signed for Lille in the summer of 2018 on a free transfer. Since joining Les Dogues, the 25-year-old has become a regular fixture on the flanks, notching up 151 appearances so far.
Last season, Bamba played a key role in Lille’s Ligue 1 triumph, finishing the 2020/21 campaign with six goals and 11 assists in 38 league outings. It had led to an interest in the Frenchman’s services from several clubs in Europe last year, including West Ham United, who were eyeing him as a potential alternative for Jesse Lingard.
However, a move never materialised, and Bamba ended up staying put at Lille. The winger has endured a dip in form this term, having managed no goals and just three assists from 25 matches in all competitions. Despite his reduced returns, the report states that West Ham United still have the French ace on their agenda.
After a scintillating start to the season, the Hammers are currently in a bad patch of form and face the risk of falling out of contention for a top-four finish. They have options in the attacking unit including Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals, Said Benrahma, Nikola Vlasic and Andriy Yarmolenko. But Vlasic has had a slow start to life in London while Yarmolenko is widely expected to move on in the summer.
Bowen, meanwhile, is attracting serious interest from clubs like Liverpool and Manchester City, which has prompted West Ham to initiate contract talks with the forward. While he is expected to stay put at the London Stadium, Yarmolenko’s potential departure, coupled with the inconsistent displays of the other attacking players, means that David Moyes could do with another addition in the summer.
Bamba has emerged as a prospective target as his contract expires in 2023, which would make him available for a reasonable fee of €20 million. However, several other clubs such as Bayer Leverkusen, Atalanta and Sevilla have also been mentioned as potential suitors for the Lille ace, meaning West Ham will not find it easy to capture his signing in the summer.
