West Ham are hot on the trail of £15million-valued Russia captain Fyodor Smolov, according to a reliable journalist.
Sky Sports News correspondent Kaveh Solkehol reported on his personal Twitter account on Wednesday night that the prolific centre-forward wants to move to London and join the Hammers.
Solkehol states that the Krasnodar striker would cost £15million to sign this month.
Russia captain Fyodor Smolov keen to move to London & West Ham. Striker. Scored twice v Spain in November. Would cost £15m
— Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) January 10, 2018
Smolov has scored 10 goals in 13 league games to for Russian club this season, and has netted 59 times in 90 appearances during his three seasons at Krasnodar.
He also weighed in with two for Russia against Spain in November in their 3-3 draw.
Good move for West Ham?
Possibly. Smolov is entering his peak years and has a fine record in the Russian league in recent seasons. He plays as a striker but has the pace and technique to play out wide and has the added bonus of speaking fluent English. But the Hammers have a wretched record for signing forwards in recent seasons, with big-money purchases Simone Zaza, Andre Ayew and Javier Hernandez among those who have flopped badly. Can David Sullivan, Tony Henry and company be trusted to provide David Moyes with a decent forward?
This Is Futbol rating 6
Likely to happen?
It’s certainly possible, as West Ham are in the market for a new striker. But can Moyes be convinced that Smolov is that man? The forward is out of contract in 18 months, which means a deal is not beyond the bounds of possibility.
This Is Futbol rating 4