West Ham could make a big money deadline day move worth £50 million for Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez.
The 22-year-old has scored 20 goals for Benfica this season and has attracted attention from some of Europe’s top clubs.
With time running out for David Moyes to find a striker after seeing multiple moves for other centre-forwards rejected, West Ham are making their way down the list and Nunez is now the main target.
West Ham are set to make a last minute attempt to bring in Benfica striker Darwin Nunez for a rumoured fee of £50 million.
With Michail Antonio’s recent inconsistency, Hammers fans having been crying out for a striker all month and not signing someone could prove a costly mistake.
However, Moyes doesn’t just want to sign extra players to make up the numbers. He is only interested in players that will improve the team and it seems it’s either Nunez or nobody (at the moment, remember on deadline day things can change rapidly).
Doing a deal at this late stage could prove extremely challenging due to the fact that Nunez is currently away on international duty with Uruguay. West Ham will need to fly a medical team and representatives out to South America in order for a deal to be completed before the 11pm. Then there’s the question of are Benfica even willing to sell him?
The Hammers have done something similar before when signing Nikola Vlasic when he was on international duty.
The 6ft 2in striker is described as having an “athletic frame, excellent acceleration and sprinting speed, with his explosive change of pace. He also has good awareness, a dynamic range of mobility that can carry counter-attacks, make incisive movements around the box, and strike the ball explosively. Nunez is also a promising creator around the box and is also capable of playing as a winger.”
Sky Sports are reporting a fee has been agreed between West Ham and Benfica but according to reliable source @ExWHUemployee a bid is in but him signing is unlikely. To some fans the Nunez move is just an excuse to say ‘look we tried to sign someone’.
I was told “bid is in” and wasn’t told it had been accepted https://t.co/xzzc0d22ud
— ExWHUEmployee (@ExWHUEmployee) January 30, 2022
I can’t see Nunez. I really don’t see how you can get a deal of that magnitude over the line in a day when he is on international duty and Benfica don’t want to sell. I would be shocked. https://t.co/PSBdWS2aUA
— ExWHUEmployee (@ExWHUEmployee) January 30, 2022
But anything can happen on deadline day. West Ham are also after centre-back Duje Caleta-Car.