West Ham United want to sign Strasbourg midfielder Ibrahima Sissoko
West Ham United have now turned their transfer radar on Strasbourg midfielder Ibrahima Sissoko, according to a French journalist Ignazio Genuardi.
The Hammers have pursued both Lille’s Amadou Onana and Napoli ace Piotr Zielinski but both deals are now out of the question so David Moyes has been forced to find alternative targets.
The 24-year-old has been at Strasbourg since 2018 and since then has been part of the club’s squad and his final season has intrigued West Ham.
The six-foot-four behemoth still has two years left on his contract with the Ligue 1 side, but after his best season to date in 2021-22 with two goals and six assists from midfield, the Irons will hope tempt him to the London stadium while his stock is high.
West Ham are keen not to be dragged into overspending on a new signing, which is why Onana is now heading to Everton instead.
Take a decision
It’s no longer a secret that a central midfielder is the Hammers’ number one priority right now, significantly reducing their chances of landing a good deal.
Strasbourg will have no incentive to sell Sissoko with a European campaign on the horizon in 2022-23, so West Ham won’t even be able to use him as leverage in negotiations with the club or the player.
But while Moyes has identified the France Under-21 international as his next target, the club can’t waste any more time with the new season now right in front of them rather than on the horizon.
Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek will surely start against reigning champions Manchester City on Sunday with Flynn Downes on the bench but three midfielders aren’t enough for the whole campaign.
People need to step up a gear soon or West Ham risk losing the Premier League table.