‘Could get 25 goals’: Captain says West Ham want his £17.5m teammate

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Bournemouth captain Simon Francis admits that West Ham United have indeed made a bid for Josh King, although their offer fell short of the Cherries’ valuation, while speaking to Sky Sports.

With just three days left until the transfer window slams shut – well, for just ten short weeks of course – there is a glimmer of light appearing at the end of a long and winding tunnel for Bournemouth.

Not that anyone at the Vitality Stadium is resting easy just yet.

West Ham saw a £13 million bid rejected for King on Sunday and they still have until Friday to meet the £17.5 million fee Bournemouth are demanding for a player who, with all due respect, is far too good for the Championship (Mail).

Long-serving skipper Francis is understandably desperate to see the Norway international stay as Jason Tindall’s side look to secure an immediate return to the big time.

“If a Premier League club can meet our valuation…right now, they haven’t. Josh King is a Premier League player with that quality, I know that for a fact and I’ve seen it first hand,” the 35-year-old defender explains.

“We only have a couple of days left, with West Ham making a bid for Josh but not meeting our valuation.

“It’s still up in the air for me. I’d love to see him stay but it’s hard to stand in the way of players who want to play at the top level and Josh King certainly does.

“But if the transfer window closes and he’s a Championship player, then I’d be really excited because I know he could get 25 goals in the Championship and then put himself in a bigger shop window.”

A versatile forward who averages ten goals a season in the Premier League, the prospect of King joining Jarrod Bowen and the seemingly irrepressible Michail Antonio in David Moyes’ frontline should have Hammers fans drooling.

Then again, with King due to become a free agent in July, perhaps West Ham can afford to wait until the winter window in the hope that Bournemouth will reduce their £17.5 million demand.