West Ham closely following “ice-cold” £46m forward; January move possible

West Ham United are now closely following a £46m-rated forward, who will be available in the January transfer window, according to a report.

West Ham need a striker

West Ham have struggled to recruit a top striker over the years, often falling back on the ever-reliable Michail Antonio after deals failed to work out, despite their signings having impressive track records. Sébastian Haller’s move to the London Stadium didn’t go as planned, despite proving himself with Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, while Niclas Füllkrug has become the latest striker who has failed to hit the ground running.

The German has just one Premier League goal to his name this season, and he was benched for the recent 5-0 defeat against Liverpool, alongside Danny Ings, who has also never been prolific in a West Ham shirt. As Antonio is expected to be out for the foreseeable future after his involvement in a car crash, Julen Lopetegui is a little light on dependable attacking options, so it is clear to see why he is considering new options in the January transfer window.

Middlesbrough’s Emmanuel Latte Lath has become the latest striker to be linked with a move to the London Stadium, with agent talks taking place, and the Hammers have their eye on another striker too. According to a report from Caught Offside, the Irons are closely following Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani, who is set to be made available on loan in the January transfer window.

Negotiations over the Frenchman’s departure are set to take place in the coming days, with a number of Premier League clubs being named as potential suitors. PSG are currently seeking a loan deal, but should they sanction Kolo Muani’s permanent departure, they would be looking to receive a fee of €55m (£46m).

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Julen Lopetegui personally wants him.

Kolo Muani struggling for game time at PSG

It is clear to see the 26-year-old is in need of a fresh start, given that he has fallen down the pecking order considerably at the Parc des Princes, mainly being limited to appearances from the bench so far this season.

However, the PSG man is still relatively young, and German legend Lothar Matthaus believes he has lofty potential, saying: “He has remarkable technical ability, he’s ice-cold in front of goal and he really throws himself into challenges. The most impressive thing is that he’s performing in every game. I can’t remember a match where he’s played badly. That’s the mark of a future superstar.”

Kolo Muani has proven he has a keen eye for goal in the past, picking up a remarkable 15 goals and 14 assists in 32 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2022-23 Bundesliga season.

As such, the France international could be a solid addition for West Ham this winter, particularly if he is available on loan, but it may be difficult to win the race for his signature, given that a number of top clubs are also in the mix.