West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic is desperate for signings this month and fragile Andy Carroll could prompt a move for Leicester’s wantaway star.
Bilic – like Claudio Ranieri – has endured a testing second season in charge after a superb showing last term and just as the Foxes lost N’Golo Kante, now the Hammers look likely to lose star player Dimitri Payet.
Co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold are believed to be holding out for at least £35 million before considering parting with a player who had been taken into the hearts of everyone connected with the club.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
And while no deal has been agreed yet, it looks increasingly likely Bilic will have to plan the rest of the season without his main man.
The former Croatia boss was already desperate for new recruits in the January window regardless of the recent Payet bombshell.
West Ham have been criticised for a seemingly scatter gun approach to their transfer business with bids for Jermain Defoe, Robert Snodgrass, Scott Hogan, Glen Johnson and Moussa Dembele proving unsuccessful so far.
Leicester City’s Leonardo Ulloa
But Bilic now has a chance to go for a player who is actually up for sale and actively seeking a move with the news Leonardo Ulloa has handed in a transfer request, as reported by Sky Sports.
The powerful Argentine striker has made just one Premier League start so far this season and has fallen down Ranieri’s pecking order after the arrival of the likes of Islam Slimani and Ahmed Musa.
Ulloa, 30, has 18 goals in 78 games for the defending Premier League champions.
Bilic has been rocked by the news that his only available senior striker Andy Carroll could miss Saturday’s trip to Middlesbrough with a neck injury.
It comes, somewhat predictably, just as Carroll was beginning to string together a series of games.
And that fragility could prompt Bilic to go for a player similar in style and stature to the big Geordie in the shape of Ulloa, who is also interesting Alaves.
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