West Ham join race for ex-Tottenham star who’s perfect fit amid Saudi interest

Former Tottenham Hotspur winger Steven Bergwijn has been identified as a target for two Saudi Arabian clubs but is also attracting interest from the Premier League and Ligue 1.

Ajax manager Francesco Farioli has reportedly given up hope of retaining the 26-year-old as interest intensifies with West Ham United said to be leading the race.

Although Farioli has high expectations for the winger for the upcoming campaign, according to Dutch reports, he is aware that Bergwijn is one of the few players at the team with a sizable price tag.

If Ajax were to sell this summer, they would want to get between €25m-30m (£21-25m) for the player.

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It is known that the Hammers had expressed interest in Bergwijn in the past. However, they were unable to complete the business during the January transfer window, and right now they would have to sell before they could get the Ajax star on board.

According to reports, Bergwijn recently spoke with Farioli and is currently considering his next move in his career.

Bergwijn is on holiday at the moment but has held talks with his manager at Ajax and is said to be willing to listen to serious offers.

Even while the Ajax boss would prefer not to lose the winger this summer, if the Hammers make a strong enough bid to bring him back to the Premier League, he might not have an option.

West Ham eager to sign ‘perfect fit’

With his Premier League experience, Bergwijn, who can play anywhere in the front line, would be an ideal addition to the West Ham attack alongside Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen, and Lucas Paqueta.

Although he undoubtedly had a difficult time adjusting to life at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he has since returned to the Netherlands and has scored 29 goals in 76 games to establish himself as an important member of Ajax.

While Ajax have to sell players in order to make new signings, it has been reported that their asking price has been deemed too high by the likes of Marseille.

While Bergwijn has held those talks with his manager it is not clear if he prefers a move away from the Eredivisie or wants to stay in Amsterdam.

Saudi Pro League clubs are willing to hand Bergwijn a massive payday, but it’s up to the former Premier League star to make the call on whether he thinks now is the right time to move to the Gulf.

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