Striker makes choice clear after Newcastle hijack West Ham move for star Graham Potter loves

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A striker at the top of Graham Potter’s West Ham wishlist has made a clear decision after Newcastle United hijacked the move.

West Ham are plotting big changes in the summer window after a disastrous season.

Newcastle United are also looking to invest but for very different reasons – to beef up their squad ready for what Eddie Howe hopes will be a return to the Champions League.

Now that has put Newcastle on a collision course with West Ham.

Many Hammers fans were hoping Graham Potter could be their answer to Howe.

Newcastle were 19th when Howe took over, with five points from a possible 33.

They have taken 193 points from the subsequent 114 league games, have a goal difference of plus 54 and have now ended a 70-year wait for a trophy.

The problem is Potter has taken West Ham backwards so far, from 13th to 17th, after just three wins from his first 14 games.

So it is clear to see there is work to do in east London in the summer transfer window.

The same can be said for Newcastle who may be just as busy fending off transfer bids as they are making them.

One of Potter’s top priorities this summer is to sign a top new striker.

With Danny Ings leaving at the end of his contract, Michail Antonio’s deal also up and Niclas Fullkrug both injury-prone and being linked with a move away, it is a necessity.

At Newcastle, Callum Wilson likely to depart at the expiration of his contract and Aleksander Isak is attracting interest from Europe’s elite.

So signing a striker will be key for Howe too, whether that’s as back-up to Isak or a replacement.

West Ham brought in Kyle Macaulay from Chelsea as their new head of recruitment after Potter arrived.

The pair have worked together at all of Potter’s clubs and Macaulay had remained at Chelsea following Potter’s sacking and subsequent 20-month hiatus from football.

Macaulay reportedly arrived with a broad dossier of targets for Potter to consider this summer.

And one in particular has caught Potter’s attention during his own observations – Emanuel Emegha.

The problem for West Ham is that Newcastle like the look of him too it seem.

Now striker Emegha has made a choice clear after Newcastle hijacked the West Ham move for a star Potter loves.

Just 10 days ago West Ham looked in pole position to land Emegha from Strasbourg.

That’s as it emerged UEFA would block Chelsea – who like the 22-year-old Dutchman from Macaulay’s time at Stamford Bridge – if they end up in the same European competition as BlueCo-owned Stransbourg.

Confirmation that UEFA would block any moves between Strasbourg and Chelsea saw Potter ramp up his interest in Emegha.

It came after football Correspondent Graeme Bailey recently confirmed to Hammers News that West Ham remain interested in Emegha after considering a move when Macaulay first arrived in January.

Now Newcastle have asked about signing the giant forward.

And Potter won’t like the answer.

L’Équipe claim Emegha, who has 13 goals and two assists for Champions League chasing Strasbourg so far this season, will almost certainly be sold this summer.

Now the report from France, which has also been repeated by Get French Football News, claims Newcastle have made Emegha a top target.

And in a crushing blow for West Ham and Potter, it is claimed Emegha wants to join the Magpies.

With Emegha’s fellow Ligue 1 striker Jonathan David a pipedream for West Ham, options are dwindling for the Hammers.

The Hammers will not be making Evan Ferguson’s loan permanent while Liam Delap has a reasonable £30m release clause but is wanted by a host of top flight sides.