West Ham United’s interest may go back all the way to 2022 but, three years on, it appears the Premier League outfit are no closer to signing their long-time striker target.
Shortly after Chelsea moved into pole position for Emanuel Emegha, as Eintracht Frankfurt close in on Jonathan Burkardt and as departing Lille talisman Jonathan David looks elsewhere for a fresh start, a striker who scored 31 times in a Golden Boot-winning 2024 could be about to slip through West Ham United’s grasp.
And not for the first time.
West Ham had a bid rejected by Corinthians for Yuri Alberto two years ago, according to the club’s then-president.
The Brazil international remains on the Hammers’ wishlist all those months on. Yuri Alberto’s agent has confirmed their interest, too.
But, after fracturing his back in May and indicating that he would prefer to stick around and do his rehab at the Neo Quimica Arena, the £15 million-rated Yuri Alberto appears no closer to becoming Graham Potter’s new number nine despite reports suggesting West Ham could use ex-Sao Paulo starlet Luizao in exchange.
West Ham United yet to show ‘concrete’ interest in Brazil striker Yuri Alberto
Furthermore, as chief executive Fabinho Soldado now explains, Corinthians are yet to field any ‘concrete’ offers this year.
Although there is still plenty of time for that to change. The transfer window is only three days old, after all.
“[Yuri Alberto] is a great player. He is going through a great moment,” Soldado tells Globo Esporte. “Corinthians have, in our squad, national team players. Players who are being sought after. This is wonderful.
“Our intention, since the turn of the year, has been to maintain the squad. There is nothing concrete that has come to us [from which] we can sit down and talk. Our idea is to keep the squad [together].”
A ruthless finisher, Yuri Alberto has outscored every Brazilian footballer since the beginning of 2024. That includes Raphinha, Barcelona’s suddenly prolific former Leeds United star.
Niclas Fullkrug back in Germany squad but facing uncertain future
As things stand, with Danny Ings and Michail Antonio out of contract, Niclas Fullkrug will be West Ham’s only centre-forward come the beginning of July.
Fullkrug cast doubt on his own future over the weekend, meanwhile. The £27 million signing from Borussia Dortmund hardly sounds like a man tailor-made for life in London.
“I’m not really a big city type,” Fullkrug told Sky Germany. “The first few months [at West Ham] were challenging.
“You can definitely do some great things in London, even as a family. But I’ve always lived in the countryside so far. That’s where I want to live afterward too.
“I don’t necessarily belong in city life. I need to see trees and nature around me.”
On a more positive note, Fullkrug is back in Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad for the first time in months. He is expected to play a role in the Nations League semi-final against Portugal, after the West Ham-linked Tim Kleindienst suffered a serious knee injury.
“It was a tough season, a difficult season, but I’m very thankful for the trust from the coach [Nagelsmann] and I will try to take responsibility and pay it back because I’m always happy to be there,” Fullkrug, who has 14 goals in 22 Germany appearances, tells the official West Ham website.
“I think ‘difficult’ is the right word to describe my season. It didn’t go how I hoped, but I’m glad we had a little positive feeling to finish the season.
“[Nagelsmann] knows my qualities. That’s why he chose me now despite a difficult season. He has a lot of trust in me, and I think he knows where my qualities are and knows exactly how to use them, and that’s why my goal return is so good and that I’ve scored so many goals in the national team.
“I think the team uses me right, the coach uses me right, and I’m very confident that I’ll continue to be a part of this team.”
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