According to a report from France Football, West Ham’s hopes of signing Nantes midfield ace Abdoulaye Toure are fading fast.
The Hammers have already completed the signing of Tomas Soucek from Slavia Prague on loan until the end of the season with an option to buy in the summer.
It could be argued that David Moyes needs more bodies in central midfielder, however.
And Toure would undoubtedly have been a useful addition for West Ham.
Standing at 6ft 2in tall, the 25-year-old is an imposing figure.
He is a defensive midfielder by trade. In 20 Ligue 1 outings this season, he has averaged 1.3 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game (Who Scored).
The powerful Frenchman has also chipped in with three goals in those games. And he boasts an impressive pass completion rate of 84.8% (Who Scored).
France Football claimed earlier in the window that the Hammers want to sign Toure on loan until the end of the season with an option to buy the midfielder in the summer.
Allegedly, Nantes would prefer a straight sale for around £12.5 million, however.
And because West Ham and the Ligue 1 outfit cannot agree on specifics, the proposed deal is on the verge of collapsing, according to France Football.
In truth, the Hammers should just pay up. In this current climate, £12.5 million for a player with Toure’s ability must be considered as very good value for money.
The West Ham owners clearly do not see it that way, however.
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