West Ham will be signing at least one new young striker this summer and it won’t be Evan Ferguson.
- Hammers News exclusive
Another miserable week on the pitch at West Ham has at least provided some clarity off it.
Because Hammers News understands it is now abundantly clear behind the scenes that West Ham will not be signing Evan Ferguson permanently this summer.
The Hammers brought the 20-year-old Irishman in on a dry loan.
But the hope was he would hit it off in east London and West Ham would negotiate a deal with Brighton to make it permanent.
The Seagulls are said to want in excess of £60m for Ferguson. Based on his performances so far – in which he has failed to register a shot on target – that simply won’t be happening.
Hammers minds already made up on Ferguson
Ferguson missed a sitter from six yards out in the 1-0 defeat at Wolves when the score was 0-0.
Graham Potter has since hung Ferguson out to dry over his performance.
West Ham will now look elsewhere and Hammers News understands they have a number of young forwards in their sights.
Emanuel Emegha, Thierno Barry, Franculino Dju and Liam Delap are among the rising striker stars on West Ham’s extensive summer shortlist.
Jonathan David heads the striker list but is very much seen as a pipedream given he said just last week he wants to play Champions League football at his next club.
It is Delap emerging as the man many Hammers fans feel is the long-awaited answer to their striker woes.
Danny Ings is being released, Michail Antonio has a one-year deal readied but at 35 is likely to only be back-up and Niclas Fullkrug looks set be sold to raise funds.
Besides Antonio stepping up to fill the void, there is frustration at West Ham – internally and externally – that the club has failed to ever truly replace Marko Arnautovic.
The Austrian star lit up the Hammers with his all-action displays.
The club has not been able to find a striker who combines, pace, power, skill and unerring finishing power since he left for a mega money move to China.
From Sebastien Haller to Gianluca Scamacca and now Fullkrug, millions have been wasted in that search.
With Ferguson the latest in a long line of West Ham striker flops, the club is on the hunt for their 55th signing in that position of the David Sullivan era.
Sullivan’s sons love West Ham target Delap
Many fans are backing Sullivan’s sons’ taste.
Dave and Jack Sullivan haven’t stopped raving about Delap to their dad.
Now tight-lipped West Ham are grateful for new Delap information in their striker search.
Ipswich star Delap has been described as ‘unplayable’ by The Times and a striker – like Arnautovic – who ‘bullies’ defenders.
He has impressed in the Premier League with the Tractor Boys this season.
Delap impressed West Ham with his excellent goal at the London Stadium earlier this season.
The 22-year-old’s winning goal against Bournemouth this week was the antithesis of Ferguson’s woeful effort at Wolves.
Delap held the ball up, fed it out wide, made a clever run to the edge of the box and smashed the ball home so hard it nearly ripped the net off the goal.
When pressed about interest in Delap ahead of the January window, West Ham stated they knew a sale would only be on the cards in the summer.
West Ham have been hopeful of competing for Delap by virtue of being the biggest club of those interested where he would be a guaranteed starter.
Tight-lipped West Ham grateful for new Delap info
The Daily Mail has confirmed Delap has a £40m release clause open to any club if – or now more likely when – Ipswich are relegated from the Premier League.
There has been speculation that clause was only applicable to Man City, who sold him to Ipswich for £20m last summer.
The Mail claim it is very much a case of an open market for Delap, though.
West Ham are one of five Premier League clubs interested in the young bull of a striker.
Hammers News put it to the top spokesman for West Ham’s owners that Delap’s release clause had been confirmed at £40m.
It was also put to them that, given Sullivan’s sons have long been big fans, it would be a no-brainer to activate the clause and see if West Ham can tempt him to east London.
Delap could be West Ham’s new Arnautovic
West Ham were cagey in their response, which may well suggest interest is serious.
But they appreciate the latest revelation.
“Thanks for this information, it’s appreciated and interesting,” the West Ham spokesman told Hammers News.
Read into that what you will.
With the likes of Chelsea and Man United now being linked, some might say West Ham would be wasting their time.
However, if Delap goes to one of those clubs he might face a battle to start week in, week out.
That would stunt his impressive development.
The Hammers could offer Delap the chance to spearhead Potter’s rebuild around young, exciting stars.
But they could also offer him a release clause set at a fair amount – such as £60-70m – so that if he continues his rise then he will still get a move to an elite Champions League club if he so wishes in the coming years.
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