West Ham United are reportedly trying to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Sebastien Haller.
The likes of The Evening Standard reported this week that West Ham’s protracted pursuit of Maxi Gomez was dead.
Manuel Pellegrini has just one senior striker after letting Andy Carroll, Lucas Perez and Marko Arnautovic leave.
Attentions then turned to Frankfurt forward Haller.
Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke Bongarts Getty Images
Italian journalist makes bold Haller Hammer claim
That’s after Italian journalist Nicolo Schira claimed on Twitter that West Ham had agreed a £35million deal for the 25-year-old Frenchman.
Schira even went as far as to claim the striker would sign a five-year deal until 2024 at the London Stadium.
#WestHam have closed for Sébastien #Haller from #EintrachtFrancoforte. #Hammes have payed €40M for him. The striker will sign a contract until 2024. #transfers #WHUFC
— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) July 10, 2019
Soon after West Ham insider ExWHUemployee claimed Haller was now the club’s number one target on his latest West Ham Way radio show.
But the story has been quickly refuted by reputable German media outlet Bild.
Photo by Maja Hitij Getty Images
German report refutes claim
Not only did Bild discredit Schira, they also insisted Haller has no interest in joining West Ham.
“First of all, an observer finds the connection between an Italian journalist and a French player who is supposed to be moving from Germany to England strange,” Bild states.
“However, now reports the “image” that there has actually been an offer of this magnitude of West Ham.
“But Haller apparently wants to reject this offer, which means that in this case Nicolo Schira allegedly leaned too far out of the window. Haller would only worry about a change when a club asks, who plays in the Champions League.”
Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA AFP Getty Images
Does Haller rejection explain talk of Gomez resurrection
It seems another one bites the dust for West Ham.
But it could also explain why reports claiming the Hammers have not given up on Gomez have resurfaced.
According to Sky Sports West Ham are keen to resurrect the deal.
Hammers fans just have to hope Pellegrini and director of football Mario Husillos will get one or two of their targets before the window closes.