West Ham told cost of 29-goal striker as David Moyes targets tasty trio

David Moyes is reported to have three names on his striker shortlist after West Ham were informed how much it would cost to sign a 29-goal Championship hitman.

The Hammers are this season’s surprise package and with six games left, sit in the top four. Moyes though has played down their chances of securing Champions League football. However, a return to any form of European football would represent a fantastic season for West Ham.

Their progress is all the more remarkable given it’s been achieved without a recognised No 9. Having sold Sebastien Haller in January, the Hammers failed to land a replacement.

Top of their wanted list was Sevilla’s explosive frontman Youssef En-Nesyri. The Moroccan was the subject of a failed £27m approach from the Hammers in January.

Sevilla were reluctant to sell at the time, but now it appears their stance on a sale has changed. Indeed, Estadio Deportivo reports an offer of £40m this summer will persuade them to do business. The Spanish paper suggested he is now under the watchful eye of Manchester United and Liverpool.

However, West Ham are also expected to be back in contention to sign En-Nesyri despite his lofty valuation.

He is not the only striker on Moyes’ radar, however. They are also expected to challenge several Premier League rivals for Tammy Abraham should Chelsea decide to sell the striker. He is also likely to cost in the region of £35m despite his reduced role under Thomas Tuchel.

Abraham has 12 goals and two assists in 30 appearances this season. Leicester are also reportedly keen to sign him this summer.

Another name under consideration for West Ham is Brentford goal machine Ivan Toney. The 24-year-old has banged in 29 goals in 44 matches this season. And we revealed last month a price of £30m has been slapped on Toney this summer amid links to Leeds and Arsenal.
A move for Toney is also something West Ham are understood to be considering. It’s claimed Moyes reckons Toney’s abilities can comfortably translate to the highest level. That’s despite the striker being largely untested in the Premier League. He has two Premier League appearances to his name from his days at Newcastle. However, he has had to work his way back up through the leagues, having left the Magpies to join League One Peterborough in 2018.

Lingard the first priority for Moyes

Moyes’ first priority of the summer, however, will be to pin down the permanent signing of Jesse Lingard.

Lingard has burst back onto the scene in the second half of this season after his Manchester United struggles. Indeed, the 28-year-old has directly contributed to 13 goals in 10 games since joining West Ham on loan. As such, he could cap off a remarkable spell with a spot in England’s Euro 2020 squad.

That form has alerted a number of Premier League rivals, while a route back at United also looks possible.

However, a report on Monday stated Lingard has opted for a move to West Ham this summer.

Lingard has thrived under Moyes in the free role he’s been afforded at the London Stadium. As such, Lingard has seemingly come to the realisation that staying with the Hammers is in his best interests.

In addition, well-informed football journalist Pedro Almeida, via Hammers News, claims Lingard’s fee will be set at £21.5m. The Hammers have already paid United a £3m loan fee, taking the total package up to £24.5m.

That’s some £6.5m more than the original £15m fee being bandied about. However, given his impact at West Ham, the investment looks a sound one from their point of view.

READ MORE: Lingard uneasy as agents step forward with stern Man Utd transfer warning