West Ham United have now emerged as a surprise suitor in the pursuit of FC Porto star Yacine Brahimi if reports are to be believed. The Algerian winger has been in hot form of late with some of the top sides in the Premier League vying for him and FC Porto’s ongoing struggle with Financial Fair Play regulations means the Portuguese giants might just consider selling one of their star players.
The Hammers, on the other hand, would be hoping for a better transfer window this summer after the disastrous results last summer. Bringing in average players even led to the club’s failure to hold on to their star candidate, Dimitri Payet. And the Croatian manager wouldn’t want such things happening next season too, as the Hammers rebuild themselves yet again.
Slaven Bilic has experienced extreme crisis throughout the last season in every position, but the most that the London side suffered was up front as they lacked any kind of attacking threat whatsoever. They could score only 47 goals last season and if not for the decent displays of Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini, that number was bound to dwindle with the club even facing relegation.
Payet left for Marseille midseason and West Ham couldn’t replace the French ace with a potential option. Their panic buy of Robert Snodgrass was a huge failure and Bilic is now looking to add Brahimi to provide the needed support for Lanzini, Andy Carroll and Antonio.
A left winger by nature, Brahimi can also play centrally in the number 10 position. And it is this versatility, which has attracted Bilic. Lack of a proper centre-forward last season, with Carroll coming in and out of injury and Simone Zaza pretty much non-existent, Bilic was seen playing right-back Antonio on the wings and eventually as the striker. Even Lanzini was forced to play in every position in the attacking third.
Brahimi is known for his tremendous agility on the flanks and supreme ability to outmuscle opponents, an attribute West Ham desperately missed last season. With Antonio sidelined during the last few months of the season, Bilic was completely out of ideas on exerting any kinds of pressure on opponents.
An academy product of French side Stade Rennais FC, Brahimi first broke in as a regular player back in 2009. It was instantly followed by loan stints at second-tier side Clermont Foot Auvergne 63 and La Liga side Granada. Granada had secured a permanent deal thereafter and Porto picked him up the next year in 2014.
As per reports, the player has a release clause of £52.5million, but his decreasing first team action could mean that the club is willing to settle for less than that. And if the amount won’t be a problem for the London club, they are likely to face stiff competition from Everton.
