West Ham find out Strasbourg asking price for giant centre-forward Ludovic Ajorque
West Ham have reportedly found out how much it would cost to sign Strasbourg giants centre-forward Ludovic Ajorque.
The 28-year-old spent time at Angers and Clermont Foot before joining Ligue 1 side Strasbourg in July 2018. They paid just £1.8m for his signing, according to transfer market.
6-foot-5 in Ajorque has scored 10 goals in each of the past four seasons. His best campaign came in 2020-21, when he found the net 16 times in 36 games.
Ajorque could top that figure with a strong end to the season. His record this season stands at 12 strikes in 35 games.
The striker’s ability to score regularly is impressive, especially as Strasbourg aren’t one of the biggest clubs in France.
He could take the next step this summer as West Ham hope to land him.
Their interest may be dates back to January 14. French release foot market put David Moyes’ side in the mix to strike a deal before the winter deadline.
Ajorque reportedly arrived at the London Stadium to compete with Michail Antonio in attack. He remains their only striker option following the sale of Sebastien Haller to Ajax in January 2021.
Ludovic Ajorque remains in West Ham’s sights
However, the Hammers failed to get Ajorque’s signature through the line.
sports witnesswho cite reports in France, claim that West Ham are still aiming to bring Ajorque to the Premier League.
Moyes likes the French-born player as he is both good in the air and dangerous with his feet. Curiously, Haller has excelled in both of these areas since joining Ajax.
West Ham are more likely to get Ajorque this summer as Strasbourg were unwilling to sell in the middle of a campaign.
And it will cost the Premier League £12.6m, according to sports witness. It’s certainly a doable sum, considering they splashed around £30million on Kurt Zouma in August.
Ajorque’s relatively cheap price tag could make him a wise buy for West Ham, should he feature among the goals from the start.
But there may be better options for Moyes and the Hammers’ recruiting chiefs to consider. They would monitor the situation of Ivan Toney in Brentford.
He has adapted well to life in the top flight, having scored 12 goals in 30 appearances in the competition.
West Ham would also be wise to keep tabs on Eddie Nketiah. The Arsenal man’s contract expires on June 30 and he could move on if regular playing time is not promised as part of a renewal.