West Ham could yet sign Benfica striker Darwin Nunez in the summer, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.
The journalist says that the Hammers were in talks to snap up the Uruguayan international before the January transfer window closed but Benfica weren’t willing to let the player go:
“Benfica basically said, ‘we’re not going to do the deal right now, come back in the summer’ and they might do that but it’s absolutely no help to them right now.”
It is believed that Benfica rejected a £37m bid from West Ham for Nunez, with the forward said to be valued at around the £45m mark by his club.
However, waiting until the summer will likely lead to greater competition for the 22-year-old’s signature. Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle have all been mentioned as potential suitors in recent months, while Liverpool and Chelsea have also tracked the player.
The fact that the Irons left it so late in the window to go after Nunez in the first place tells you all you need to know about the lack of a plan when it comes to transfers at the London club. The failure to sign a striker could well come back to haunt them as they mount a challenge for a top-four finish.
