West Ham United could have a new striker in their sights this summer, with Pianeta Milan, via Sport Witness, reporting that the Hammers are one of three sides to have asked about Charles De Ketelaere this summer.
What is the latest West Ham United transfer news?
The Premier League side struggled in the top flight last season, finishing in 14th, but their victory in the Europa Conference League means that they will once more be competing in Europe in the next campaign. It also means that David Moyes will need to strengthen his side this summer and ensure they can compete on all fronts – and it does appear as though there are a few players he could be lining up to bring in.
It looks as though a fresh striker is one transfer priority for the club, with the Hammers linked with several attacking targets already this window. They are keen to try and bring in Armando Broja from Chelsea, but it won't be easy for the club to snap him up, with several other teams all tailing the player too. They've also been keeping tabs on young Keisuke Goto, with the 18-year-old impressing after his displays in Japan, though he would surely be a signing for the future rather than an immediate number nine role.
Now, according to a report from Pianeta Milan, via Sport Witness, West Ham may have added yet another striker to their wanted list.
That's because the Hammers have already made contact to get information on Charles De Ketelaere at AC Milan, with the player potentially available on a deal this summer. It appears his current club could be quite happy to move him on already, despite having only added him permanently at the beginning of the 2022/23 season.
With the Belgian now available on a transfer, Moyes' team have already contacted his camp to gather information and to see if a move may be doable. However, it won't be completely straightforward for West Ham to get a deal over the line, with Crystal Palace and Everton having also been in touch over a deal.
What is Charles De Ketelaere worth?
Milan are willing to make a loss on the striker too it seems, with the forward potentially available for just 30 million Euros (or £25.7m). It's a steep fee for a player who managed just one assist and zero goals in Serie A for the Italian outfit, but he wasn't able to be a regular starter for the club which could have played a part. De Ketelaere managed only nine starts for the side and had just 12.4 lots of 90 minutes in total for the club.
Despite struggling to really find form with AC Milan and to hit the back of the net on a regular basis, the 22-year-old is still viewed as a real talent in the game though. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has previously called the striker a "special player" for example because of his abilitys upfront and the potential he has in the game.
Whilst he hasn't been able to tap into that in Italy, a switch to a team like West Ham could perhaps bring it out of the Belgian.