Smarting West Ham chiefs are looking to flip the script on Notts Forest with a revenge mission by trying to lure away star.
Nottingham Forest have upset West Ham technical director Tim Steidten.
And now the Tricky Trees could pay the price.
West Ham and Forest are both currently very active in the Brazilian market looking for summer signings.
The Hammers have a summer budget of around £100m to spend on six to eight signings while Nottingham Forest are having to tread more carefully to avoid further PSR sanctions.
With both West Ham and Forest shopping in the same market, they were bound to be on a collision course.
Forest hijack leaves West Ham reeling
That came to fruition when it emerged last night that the City Ground side had hijacked West Ham’s move for Internacional defender Vitao.
Hammers News reported on claims out of Brazil that Nottingham Forest had collapsed West Ham’s move by offering more money for Vitao and agreeing to pay him a lot more than the Hammers too.
West Ham have been left reeling by the setback after seeing a deal for another Brazilian defender – Fabricio Bruno – collapse at the 11th hour recently.
But it seems Forest may have poked the bear with that move.
Because West Ham have launched a Notts Forest revenge mission by trying to lure away a top star.
West Ham launch Forest revenge mission
It is the one of the worst kept secrets in football that West Ham are looking to sign a new striker this summer.
The Hammers want around six to eight signings with a forward being among the top priorities.
A host of strikers have been linked over the last few months including Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi.
Given the sheer number of forwards being linked, though, rumours are taken with a pinch of salt.
Especially as several reports have claimed Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri and Atletico’s Samu Omorodion are Julen Lopetegui’s top targets.
It seems that might have changed in the last 48 hours after Forest angered West Ham by snatching away the Vitao deal.
Because The Athletic claim West Ham are now focusing on signing Nottingham Forest’s Nigerian striker Awoniyi, whose future is uncertain.
The report states Lopetegui’s side are one of several who admire Awoniyi.
Hammers turn to Awoniyi after Forest snatched Vitao
It is claimed that it would take a ‘significant offer’ for Forest to be tempted to sell despite their PSR concerns.
But the reality is Notts Forest may have just painted themselves into a corner by trumping West Ham’s offer for Vitao.
Having committed money to that reportedly imminent deal, Forest will struggle to turn down reasonable offers for some of their stars.
So West Ham will hope they can take advantage.
Especially as Awoniyi – who was limited to 20 appearances last season due to groin surgery – has been playing second fiddle to Chris Wood.
The lure of London and the chance to lead the line in a side fighting for Europe would surely appeal to the striker too.
Other clubs should be warned, when you interfere with Steidten’s work, he invariably finds a way to get what he wants.
Just ask Ajax who hijacked West Ham’s move for Carlos Borges last summer only to find they then had to sell Steidten’s real target – Mohammed Kudus – to the Hammers as a direct result.
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