The man who first revealed West Ham United’s interest in Sevilla star Youssef En-Nesyri has made a new claim about the striker.
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En-Nesyri emerged as West Ham’s prime striker target in the January window.
The Athletic reporter Ornstein first reported on West Ham’s move for the Moroccan and subsequent improved bids to try and land the forward as Sebastien Haller’s replacement.
Easy to see why Sevilla were reluctant to sell En-Nesyri to West Ham but goals not enough to prevent Champions League exit
West Ham could not tempt Sevilla into doing a deal, though.
And it is easy to see why with the fleet-footed 23-year-old scoring 13 league goals in 14 starts and six in just four Champions League starts for the Spanish side.
En-Nesyri’s latest goals came in last night’s pulsating Champions League last 16 clash with Borussia Dortmund. The West Ham target scored a fine brace to match the efforts of world sensation Erling Haaland in a 2-2 draw.
But it was not enough as Sevilla slipped out of Europe’s top competition 5-4 on aggregate.
Ornstein makes West Ham claim after En-Nesyri brace
Speaking after the game Ornstein suggested that En-Nesyri’s best chance of returning to the Champions League stage might be with West Ham.
But he admitted he was surprised by the reaction of some West Ham fans to his story about the club’s interest in En-Nesyri.
“An interesting player who scores plenty of goals,” Ornstein said as Sevilla were dumped out despite his brace.
“I was shocked at the negative reaction from some West Ham fans on here (Twitter) to our story at the time.
“Many saying they would prefer (Arsenal’s Eddie) Nketiah to En-Nesyri.
“West Ham might have been his best route into next season’s Champions League!”
Sevilla are fourth in La Liga but have lost their last two games and have the likes of Real Sociedad and Real Betis breathing down their necks.
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Meanwhile West Ham are fifth in the Premier League with a game in hand on the four clubs above them.
David Moyes’s side continue to pick up wins in their march towards the club’s best season for 35 years and potential Champions League qualification.
Whether that would be enough to tempt En-Nesyri away remains to be seen.
But he looks to be on a shortlist of five strikers being targeted by Moyes this summer.
That is believed to also include Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham, Blackburn forward Adam Armstrong, Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Slavia Prague’s Abdallah Sima.
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