West Ham is all over the transfer rumor mill, as Sebastien Haller has left and the Hammers are hoping to spend those transfer funds wisely.
[ MORE: Klopp talks CB transfer issues ]
The Irons have sold Haller to Ajax for $27.5 million, just over 18 months since he arrived for $61 million from Eintracht Frankfurt. They are reportedly rivaling Liverpool and AC Milan for a center back as Moyes has a hole burning in his pocket.
They’re also apparently out of luck on a Lyon star.
Sebastian Haller to Ajax
So, the Irons have sold Haller to Ajax, as things just never really worked out for the center forward despite a few stunning goals along the way.
The Irons bought the 26-year-old Haller from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2019, and he has seven goals in 19 appearances this season but 14 of his goals over two seasons with the Irons have come against lower league opposition.
Haller was West Ham’s incoming center forward following the sale of Marko Arnautovic to Shanghai SIPG, where he’s scored 17 times in 35 games. Ironically, separate reports claim West Ham has decided not to re-sign Arnautovic from his Chinese Super League club.
Meanwhile, the Irons appear to be active in the market when it comes to purchases.
Kabak to West Ham, Kabak to Liverpool
The Athletic says West Ham will not have luck in luring another French striker, Moussa Dembele from Lyon.
West Ham is also said to be rivaling AC Milan for Schalke defender Ozan Kabak, who is said to be available on a “cut-price” deal around $20 million.
But would a lower price deal allure Liverpool? The Reds were said to be out-of-the-picture due to a $30 million-plus price tag for Kabak after showing interest in November.
Jurgen Klopp has said any center back move, even a short-term one, is looking unlikely due to the pandemic and the market, but perhaps a change in fee could alter his outlook.
Kabak, 20, has been capped six times by Turkey and is a regular but underperforming center back with relegation-threatened Schalke, who returned to the Bundesliga ahead of the 1991-92 season