David Moyes should urge West Ham United to launch a bargain summer swoop to sign Hatayspor striker Aaron Boupendza.
What’s the word?
According to 90min, the Irons are in an eight-way Premier League tussle for the services of Boupendza as top European sides begin to take note of his sensational form in the Super Lig.
The 24-year-old has struck 18 goals in 26 Turkish top-flight fixtures this term, despite only starting 16 of his appearances and averaging 67 minutes on the field per game.
Boupendza joined Hatayspor last August after being allowed to join the Star of the South on a free transfer from FC Girondins de Bordeaux, where he had never played a single match despite being on the Ligue 1 side’s books for four years.
Hatayspor are now seemingly striving to secure a quick payday and cash in on his services as interest continues to grow, having recently accepted a £7m offer from Russian side FC Krasnodar only to see the deal fall through as Boupendza snubbed the move.
The 15-cap Gabon international would favour testing his skills in the Premier League if he is to leave the Hatay New Stadium, and would not be short of suitors by following in the footsteps of compatriot Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – who is said to have spoken to Arsenal about him.
Southampton have regularly sent scouts to track Boupendza’s progress in Turkey as they see the CF Mounana product as a potential replacement for Danny Ings, while West Ham, Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City, Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton & Hove Albion are also keen, per 90min.
Scottish powerhouses Rangers and Celtic are also thought to be monitoring his situation, with Hatayspor raising their asking price to the region of £8.5m after club President Lutfu Savas told Radyospor that there is no agreement in place with Fenerbahce.
Should West Ham sign Boupendza?
Boupendza certainly represents a promising option for West Ham to target in the summer transfer window when Moyes strives to discover his Sebastien Haller heir, having opted against bringing in a centre-forward to support Michail Antonio in the winter market.
At an alleged £8.5m, Boupendza would also represent a relative bargain, given the Irons were quoted and refused to pay Stade de Reims’ €15m (£13m) asking price for Boulaye Dia in January, or the €40m (£34.5m) it would have taken to sign Sevilla ace Youssef En-Nesyri.
Beating out their seven Premier League rivals and interest from Scotland, Russia and Turkey to land Boupendza could also see the Hammers repeat their success from Carlos Tevez’s move to east London in search of a new striking star.
Tevez moved to Upton Park from Brazilian side Corinthians in 2006 after emerging as one of Argentina’s World Cup stars and was considered to be one the most highly-rated young strikers in the world at 22 years of age.
The former Boca Juniors forward would go on to net seven goals in 26 Premier Leagues for West Ham, before enjoying successful spells with both Manchester clubs having struck 34 times in 99 games with United and 73 in 148 appearances for City across all competitions.
His goal for West Ham at Old Trafford on the final day of the 2006/07 season ultimately proved crucial to the Irons’ bid for Premier League survival as it sealed Sheffield United’s relegation, and Moyes could now look to land a new striker of such significant importance in Boupendza as he strives to make West Ham a club competing in Europe.
AND in other news, West Ham in four-way Premier League battle for 13-goal striker who is “annoying to the defender”…