West Ham transfer news: Hammers poised to bid £25million for Bournemouth star striker Callum Wilson
Former Coventry striker is wanted by manager Slaven Bilic in January as key striker Diafra Sakho ruled out until next year
Sponsored by
WEST HAM are poised to make an offer worth up to £25m for Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson.
It comes as it was confirmed striker Diafra Sakho will miss up to six weeks with the thigh injury he sustained against Manchester United.
Keep up to date with ALL the West Ham United news, gossip, transfers and goals on our club page plus fixtures, results and live match commentary
Hammers boss Slaven Bilic wants Wilson as his main January transfer window priority after a poor start to the season.
It has left West Ham just one point clear of the relegation zone after more than a third of the season gone.
But it is not for the want of trying, Bilic having spent big money on the loan signings of Simone Zaza and Jonathan Calleri in the summer.
Both have been flops though, highlighted by Senegal international Sakho becoming the club’s first striker to score a goal this season in the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Saturday - before his injury.
related articles
Sakho is prolific when fit, but often injury prone - and his appearance at Old Trafford on Sunday was just his second Premier League start of the season.
Wilson has four league goals so far this season, so the Cherries, who have started the season well, are likely to be very reluctant to let their talisman leave.
He scored 20 goals to help Bournemouth to promotion from the Championship in 2015, before netting a hat-trick at Upton Park in his second Premier League match before being ruled out for the majority of last season with a serious knee problem.
They rejected a bid of around £15m from West Ham for the former Coventry striker last summer, before Wilson signed a new four-year contract - and he has also been tracked by Tottenham in the past.
Even Championship leaders Newcastle are reportedly keen - but that link was rubbished recently by Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe.
He said: "It has got no relevance to us. Not to the football club or to Callum. There’s no substance to the story.
"The only time that will influence him is if he believes it or reads it himself. And I would encourage my players to just concentrate on their day-to-day job.”