West Ham United have received a boost in their hunt for a talented young star and could now be in a position to land him in January, according to reports.
West Ham United updates…
The Hammers have made relatively steady strides in the Premier League so far under David Moyes, sitting ninth in the table with 14 points on the board from their first ten fixtures in the division.
The Hammers have also booked their place in the last eight of the EFL Cup, convincingly defeating Arsenal 3-1 at the London Stadium courtesy of goals from Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and Gunners defender Ben White, who put through his own net to open the scoring.
Speaking to West Ham's official website after the game, Moyes was delighted with his side's performance as they comfortably saw off Mikel Arteta's men on home soil, as he stated: "It was a really good team performance. We had a few new players out there; Dinos came in at centre-half and did very well. Jarrod went up at centre-forward and did well, and Mo came in and did really, really well tonight. There were a lot of good things to be pleased about."
As alluded to by Moyes, England international Bowen came in to feature as a central striker ahead of veteran forward Michail Antonio, who is a target for several Premier League clubs alongside holding interest from the Saudi Pro League in his services, according to Football Insider.
Nevertheless, it is mentioned in the report that West Ham United and Antonio are locked in discussions over a potential contract extension at the London Stadium, with his current terms set to expire in the summer of 2024.
Jamaica forward Antonio has been a major part of the furniture at the Hammers since joining the club in 2015; however, fresh developments now suggest that West Ham could look to the future by recruiting a younger forward to help shoulder the goalscoring burden.
West Ham given boost in Marcos Leonardo chase
According to a transfer update from 90min, West Ham United have set their sights on Santos forward Marcos Leonardo, who is now expected to leave his current employers in the upcoming transfer window. The report states that the Brazil Under-20 international would command a fee in the region of £20 million.
The Hammers are considering a January bid, but will need to fend off competition from the likes of Newcastle United, Fulham, Brentford, Roma and Flamengo to land the 20-year-old.
Marcos Leonardo's impressive goal record for Santos (Transfermarkt)
Appearances
161
Goals
54
Assists
11
Despite his youth, Leonardo is a vastly experienced goalscorer at the elite level in South America and has demonstrated his prowess as a threat to opposition backlines in the Brazilian top-flight across 2023, recording an average of 2.9 shots on goal per fixture (Leonardo statistics – WhoScored).
Labelled a "special talent" by journalist Nathan Joyes, Leonardo looks to be primed for a move to one of Europe's top leagues and could offer West Ham United a valuable outlet in the final third on a long-term basis.
