West Ham are eyeing a move for Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres but will face a lot of Premier League competition for his signature.
The Hammers have once again been forced to battle this season but with a strong core available to David Moyes, smart recruitment could see them bounce back from their brush with relegation. With three games to play, West Ham have all but secured another season in the English top-flight barring any last minute drama.
What's the latest on Viktor Gyokeres to West Ham?
According to Sky Sports, Wolves are "the leading club" in the race to sign Gyokeres but there aren't yet ongoing negotiations with the player or the club.
There is a lot of strong interest from Premier League clubs after the 24-year-old's fine display this season. In 47 appearances, Gyokeres is at the top of his game having scored 22 goals and assisted ten, highlighting why he is such a sought after player heading into the summer. Fellow Coventry star Maxime Biamou even called him "unplayable" in October 2022 and he has taken his game to a new level this season.
Whether Coventry are successful in finding promotion on the last day of the season through the playoffs will determine his transfer fate. If the Sky Blues reach the Premier League, he could stay for their first season back in the top flight.
Crystal Palace and West Ham are both interested in the forward and depending on Coventry's fight for Premier League promotion, there could be a transfer race to see which club signs him, with the two London suitors going head to head with Wolves.
Would signing Gyokeres make sense for West Ham?
West Ham's biggest issue this season has been consistency and as they demonstrated against Manchester United, they are more than capable of scrapping with the biggest teams in the league.
The win over United allowed them to bounce back from losing 3-0 to City the game before, setting the stage perfectly for the 2-1 win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League semi-finals. A strong showing in the second leg will see them progress to the final at the Fortuna Arena in Prague.
With Lucas Pacqueta beginning to really come into his own and Jarrod Bowen getting better all the time, a player like Gyokeres could be a great signing, although it's unclear what it means for Michail Antonio. That said, West Ham's European adventure has underlined the need for more strength in depth if the London outfit is going to aim to qualify for Europe in future seasons.
A lot of stress and fatigue is placed on players when they play too regularly or if the intensity of a game is more difficult to recover from. It's a new problem for the Hammers but one they should not shy away from.
