West Ham United have reportedly been handed a blow in their pursuit of striker Amine Gouiri as OGC Nice are uninterested in a sale.
According to Foot Mercato, West Ham United held an interest in signing French forward Amine Gouiri but have been handed a blow in pursuit of the striker as OGC Nice have no intentions of selling him.
Gouiri joined Nice from fellow French club Olympique Lyon in a deal worth just €7 million and has proven to be an excellent bargain signing for the club as he has accumulated a tally of 28 goals and 18 assists from 84 matches in all competitions. The 22-year-old was directly involved in 22 goals in all competitions last season, attracting interest from several clubs.
Indeed, Gouiri has been on the radars of Real Madrid, while Paris Saint-Germain have also taken an interest in the striker. Rennes, too, are following the 22-year-old and the report claims that West Ham United, too, were among Gouiri’s admirers.
It is no secret that West Ham United have been in the market for attacking reinforcements this summer. And while they have clinched the signing of Gianluca Scamacca from Sassuolo, David Moyes’ side could do with another quality addition to their ranks in the final third of the pitch.
Said Benrahma has not clicked as expected for West Ham, while Michail Antonio’s form nosedived in the second half of the last season, which left the Hammers over-reliant on Jarrod Bowen. So, even if Scamacca has been brought in, more attacking firepower could come in handy for Moyes’ side as they look to go the distance in the UEFA Europa Conference League while pushing for a top-six finish in the Premier League.
It is where Gouiri would have entered the picture. The 22-year-old is primarily a striker but former Nice manager Christophe Galtier deployed him on the left wing last season, where he excelled. This versatility would have made him a useful acquisition for West Ham, providing them with added depth and tactical flexibility.
However, new Nice manager Lucien Favre, who replaced Galtier this summer, has decided that the club will not be selling Gouiri as he sees the young forward as a key part of his plans for the future. So, West Ham United and the other parties interested in the 22-year-old French ace will now have to look elsewhere to reinforce their attacks.