West Ham have been made second favourites to sign Valencia striker Alvaro Negredo, according to the latest bookmakers’ odds.
Ladbrokes have priced the Hammers at 5/1 to sign the Spaniard, but are second behind Premier League rivals West Brom in the race to sign the 31-year-old forward who spent the 2016-17 season on loan at Middlesbrough.
The Baggies are at evens to sign the 21-time Spain international, while newly-promoted Newcastle are at 6/1 to bring the Valencia striker to St. James’ Park.
Galatasaray, Stoke and Sevilla are all given a price ranged between 7/1 and 10/1, while a return to former side Manchester City is way out at a lengthy 12/1.
Negredo scored 10 goals for the Teesside outfit before returning to Valencia, making 39 appearances in all competitions but failed to keep Boro in the Premier League.
The Hammers have been after a striker since Slaven Bilic took over at the London Stadium as manager ahead of the 2015-16 season, but are yet to bring in a marquee name that has found the back net on a regular basis.
This season, Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho have struggled to steer clear of injury, while summer signings Ashley Fletcher, Simone Zaza, Jonathan Calleri and Andre Ayew have all struggled in front of goal.
That could see Bilic move for Negredo this summer but they are likely to face stiff competition from Tony Pulis’ Midlands outfit.
It remains to be seen how much Valencia would charge for Negredo, with two years still to run on his current contract in La Liga.