There have been conflicting reports over West Ham United’s pursuit of Slavia Prague striker Abdallah Sima this week.
West Ham lead chase for England star claims talkSPORT transfer specialist
Sima has been heavily linked with a move to West Ham since he was recommended to the club by former Slavia star Tomas Soucek.
After the success of Soucek and his former Slavia teammate Vladimir Coufal at West Ham, the 19-year-old Senegalese strike sensation has been heavily tipped to complete a hat-trick of arrivals in east London from the Czech club.
Conflicting reports over West Ham pursuit of Slavia hat-trick
A report from The Evening Standard last week claimed Sima has had a big change of heart over his future. He now wants a move to the Premier League this summer over his previous preference of the Bundesliga.
West Ham fans were excited at the weekend when Slavia took the unusual step of publishing quotes from their manager confirming discussions had already taken place with the Hammers over Sima.
“There is interest in Abdallah Sima,” Jindrich Trpisovsky said last Sunday – as reported on Slavia Prague’s official Twitter feed.
“There’s a set price at which he could leave.
“We focus on managing the rest of the season with us. We talked about it with the boys from West Ham, where they have him very high on the list of possible reinforcements.”
Sima suddenly linked with Leeds and Palace after manager confirmed Hammers talks but Lampard gives Moyes hopes a boost
But confusion reigns as Sima has been heavily linked with moves to both Leeds and Crystal Palace since.
Football Insider have claimed that Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa wants to being Sima to Elland Road.
And renowned football journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that Frank Lampard wanted Sima if he was to take over from Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park.
What will come as a relief to West Ham fans excited by the possible arrival of Sima, is that the latter report looks to be something of a red herring.
That’s after Football Insider claimed West Ham academy graduate Lampard had turned down the Palace job over fears they could be prime candidates for relegation next season.
Sima one of seven on Moyes’s reported summer shortlist
West Ham boss David Moyes has three priorities this summer.
The Scot must sign at least one striker for starters.
And he will then be desperate to keep Jesse Lingard permanently and sign some central midfield cover.
Sima is one of seven strikers said to be on Moyes’s summer shortlist.
That list is also said to include Odsonne Edouard, Ivan Toney, Adam Armstrong, Tammy Abraham, Youssef En-Nesyri and Marko Arnautovic.
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