In a recent report, Le10Sport mentioned that West Ham United have initiated contact with Clermont to land Mohamed Bayo before the end of this transfer window. However, it is understood that the Hammers could face competition in the form of LOSC Lille and Bordeaux in the race to secure the services of the Guinea international.
Bayo’s Impressive Numbers In French Football
The 23-year-old has made a promising start to this campaign as he has already scored three goals in two appearances for the French club. Bayo also caught the eye with his performances at the Stade Gabriel-Montpied last season when he featured in 38 matches for Clermont, scoring 22 goals and securing seven assists across all fronts.
The France-born talent is enjoying a rich vein of form at the moment as he is averaging 5.5 shots, 0.5 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game in the two league matches he has been a part of thus far. Bayo has also distributed the ball relatively well after making 76.9% of his attempted passes this season (stats via whoscored).
Bayo is maturing into a top striker in French football, but there are some concerns over whether he will be able to cope with the high intensity of English football if West Ham manage to win the chase for his services during this summer transfer period. At 23, Bayo is in for a very bright future in European football as long as he continues to work hard on getting better on the training field.
What Will The Guinea International Bring To The London Stadium?
Bayo excels at generating a yard of space for himself to get a few shots in at goal. He can use his quickness and agility to make a few well-timed runs in behind the opposition defence and is turning himself into a prolific finisher in front of the opponent’s goal.
The one-Guinea international can even contribute by picking up his fair share of assists in the final third. However, only time will tell whether he is good enough to make a smooth transition to life in East London where he will be expected to perform at a high level every week.
There is no denying that Bayo has what it takes to rival Michail Antonio for a regular starting place in David Moyes’ first team. We can expect him to bring more pace and goals to the Hammers attack. Plus, the Clermont star could help the London outfit challenge for a top-six finish in the Premier League this season. Thus, Moyes would be wise to engineer a move to lure him to the London Stadium before the transfer window slams shut at the end of this month.
