West Ham United look set to miss out on long-standing striker target Mario Mandzukic.
West Ham have reportedly been in the running to sign Mandzukic from Juventus since the summer.
The likes of The Mirror have reported that West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini has been pushing to sign the 245-goal striker, who has been frozen out at Juve under Maurizio Sarri.
Hammers once front runners for 245-goal striker
The Mirror claimed West Ham wanted to sign the 33-year-old Croatian on loan in January despite reservations about his age.
Mandzukic has scored 212 club goals in a superb career and a further 33 for his national team.
The veteran forward was linked with West Ham under Slaven Bilic and in Pellegrini’s first window in charge last summer too.
Mandzukic’s time in Italy looks certain to end in January.
But he won’t be heading to West Ham.
Journalist who broke Haller says Mario is on the move… to Qatar
That’s according to the Italian journalist Nicolo Schira.
Speaking on Twitter, the man who broke the news of West Ham signing Sebastien Haller in the summer, said Mandzukic is set for a move to Qatar instead.
“White smoke after passing medical examinations for Mario Mandzukic With the’ Al Duhail,” Schira said on Twitter.
“The Croatian will earn a total of 12 million euros. Contract until 2021.”
Plan B Barbosa or Bowen?
West Ham will now have to turn their attentions elsewhere.
The Hammers have been linked with Inter Milan outcast Gabriel Barbosa and Hull City forward Jarrod Bowen.
Both of those would surely be better alternatives for the Hammers in the long term.
Whether David Sullivan and David Gold front up the money is another matter entirely.
Time will tell.
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