Euro giants turn down West Ham loan bid for 26y/o striker valued at €15-20m
Yesterday at 02:20 PM
The uncertainty surrounding Julen Lopetegui’s long-term future hasn’t stopped West Ham United from making moves in the transfer market.
The Hammers are looking to reinforce a number of key areas in a massively underwhelming squad but have prioritised bolstering the frontline.
West Ham have struggled in the final third this season, netting just 24 times in 20 games. Only six teams in the Premier League have a worse record, and three are in the relegation zone.
Their attacking woes are further compounded by unfortunate injuries to Michail Antonio and skipper Jarrod Bowen.
Antonio is out for the foreseeable future as he recovers from a horrific accident, while Bowen will spend at least six weeks on the sidelines with a foot injury.
Bowen has been a key player for Lopetegui's side this season, contributing six goals and four assists in 21 games across all competitions.
He has scored five times in the Premier League, and three have been match-winning goals, often bailing out Lopetegui.
Injuries to Antonio and Bowen have forced West Ham to launch a striker search, and they’ve set their sight on SL Benfica striker Arthur Cabral.
West Ham should show more ambition in the transfer market
Maisfutebol reports that West Ham have seen a loan bid for Cabral turned down by Benfica, who are only willing to consider a permanent sale.
The Portuguese giants are demanding around €15-20 million (£12.4-16.5m) for the Brazilian striker, and West Ham would be silly to match their asking price.
Cabral plays second fiddle to a struggling Vangelis Pavlidis at Benfica.
He has netted just five times in 20 games across all competitions and also boasts a paltry record of 16 goals in 63 games for Benfica.
If he isn’t good enough to start for Benfica, then he’s certainly not the right player to lead the line for West Ham.
The Hammers need to show more ambition in the transfer market, especially given their current predicament.
They need a prolific striker to take the goalscoring burden off Bowen in the long term, and Cabral doesn’t even come close to being the right man for the job.
Stats from Transfermarkt
