West Ham have responded on the current status of the move for Ajax and Holland striker Brian Brobbey after he flew to London.
- Hammers News exclusive
West Ham’s hunt for a new striker in the January transfer window has led them to Brian Brobbey.
The Dutch forward emerged as West Ham’s prime target this week somewhat out of the blue.
After the controversial new bids for Jhon Duran, the Hammers had turned attentions to Andre Silva.
But many Hammers fans questioned the wisdom of a move for the RB Leipzig outcast, who is 29 and has scored just five goals in the last two seasons.
When West Ham turned their attentions to Brobbey, the profile was a lot more appealing.
At 22 and with attributes the Hammers are sorely lacking up front such as power, pace and strong link-up play, Brobbey seems the ideal replacement for Michail Antonio.
Better still, he was said to have been the first striker target Graham Potter has approved of since arriving at the London Stadium.
West Ham respond on move for Brobbey
Brobbey reportedly wants the move to West Ham.
As a result he is said to have already agreed terms while the Hammers negotiate with Ajax over the details of the loan with obligation to buy.
It was confirmed Brobbey flew to London on Friday night.
There was relief for West Ham after Tottenham and Roma dropped out of the race.
Brobbey remains in the capital.
But in typical West Ham style the move seems to have stalled.
So Hammers News reached out to the top spokesman inside the club for clarity on the situation.
Now West Ham have responded on the move for Brobbey after internal discussions.
Hammers News spoke to the key senior London Stadium contact and asked whether there has been any progress on the deal.
The honest response may disappoint some Hammers fans because it seems to now be in the balance.
Hammers having second thoughts after internal discussions
Because, by their own admission, the club are having second thoughts.
“No progress,” the West Ham spokesman exclusively told Hammers News.
“And there are doubts inside the club about whether he is ready for the Premier League.
“But never say never.”
Whether that is the owners or Potter and new head of recruitment Kyle Macauley raising those doubts is not clear.
But interestingly it comes after a scathing assessment of the move from Ajax and Holland legend Frank de Boer who raised the same doubts.
Speaking about speculation West Ham were set to pay up to £25m for Brobbey, De Boer was flabbergasted.
De Boer brutally dismantled West Ham’s move for Brobbey – a player the former Palace boss clearly doesn’t rate.
A more considered view is that Brobbey and the Ajax management are both to blame for his underwhelming form this season.
Ajax manager not helping Brobbey’s form
The 22-year-old has three goals and seven assists in 1,364 minutes across 29 matches this term.
But last season he bagged 22 goals and provided 12 assists in 43 appearances across 3,369 minutes.
With the season now past the halfway mark, it has become increasingly clear that Brobbey does not fit Ajax manager Francesco Farioli’s style of play.
The Italian boss regularly starts Brobbey but almost always substitutes him relatively early in games. The looming presence of Wout Weghorst does not help Brobbey’s confidence either.
Whenever the former Burnley and Man United target man begins warming up, sometimes even before half-time, Brobbey knows his number is going to be up.
A player with Brobbey’s attributes of pace, power and strength would naturally expect more joy during the closing stages of matches when spaces open up, defenders tire and opponents take more risks.
But more often than not, he is not on the pitch during that period.
As a result Brobbey is the Ajax player arguably most affected by Farioli’s substitution policy.
Now it seems doubts have also crept in at West Ham, who are likely trying to do a deal with an option rather than obligation to buy.
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