A big West Ham striker target has been injured in an AFCON warm-up and another has withdrawn from the tournament.
The current West Ham injury curse seems to be extending to the club’s alleged January transfer targets too.
West Ham are on the hunt for a new forward in the January transfer window.
And back in November Hammers News brought you an exclusive from the top source inside West Ham who revealed some of the club’s targets were players due to play at the African Cup of Nations.
The loss of Mohammed Kudus to the Ivory Coast tournament alongside injuries to Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta have amplified West Ham’s need for a new attacker.
West Ham target injured in AFCON warm-up and another withdraws
The Hammers have been heavily linked with Stuttgart’s 18-goal forward Serhou Guirassy and Salernitana’s Boulaye Dia.
Just last week sources in Italy claimed West Ham have enquired about signing Dia with Salernitana keen to sell at around £13m.
And transfer reporter Rudy Galetti confirmed that Guirassy is a target for Tim Steidten when speaking in an exclusive with Hammers News last week.
That tallied with the information from our top source as Guirassy and Dia are in the Guinea and Senegal squads respectively for AFCON. At least they were.
Dia out, Guirassy limps off
Because a big West Ham striker target has been injured in an AFCON warm-up and another has withdrawn from the tournament.
Dia was included in Senegal’s squad despite ongoing injury issues.
His country hoped the longstanding Hammers target would be fit for the second stage of the tournament should they get there.
But according to Mirror journalist Ryan Taylor, Dia has now been forced to withdraw.
And Guirassy has limped off in Guinea’s warm-up game against Nigeria – which they won 2-0.
‘Could have implications for his future’
“Serhou Guirassy has just limped off for Guinea in their AFCON warmup match against Nigeria,” Taylor said.
“Could have implications for his future.
“Boulaye Dia has also withdrawn from Senegal squad due to injury. Both are being tracked by Premier League clubs this winter.”
If Dia is pulling out of a tournament that is due to run until mid-February, then that all but rules out a January move.
Obviously the seriousness of Guirassy’s injury will need to be assessed. So it remains to be seen whether he too is forced to withdraw and return to Stuttgart.
But there is no lack of irony that one of West Ham’s prime targets has picked up a knock at the same time Hammers stars are dropping like flies.
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