FC Porto’s in-demand attacker Yacine Brahimi knocked back Everton last summer – meaning West Ham are up against it if they go in for him over the coming weeks.
While West Ham manager Slaven Bilic may well pay the ultimate price for the most disappointing of seasons, many supporters may attempt to absolve the Croatian of at least some of the blame. After all, owners Davids Gold and Sullivan left Bilic to operate with one hand tied behind his back, thanks to a baffling approach to recruitment last summer.
Therefore, the very least they could do is attempt to give the under-fire manager the chance to replicate their sixth placed finish of 2015/16 by backing him sufficiently in the summer. According to O Jogo, West Ham fans can indeed afford to feel a little optimistic.
The newspaper reports that scouts from West Ham were in attendance as Yacine Brahimi put on a show in Porto’s 3-0 thrashing of Belenenses this weekend. The Algerian winger netted his fifth league goal of the season in a Man of the Match display characterised by driving, jinking runs and intuitive, intelligent link play.
While West Ham fans may claim that the club doesn’t miss Dimitri Payet and his ability to create something magisterial out of thin air, Brahimi’s arrival would certainly go down well at the London Stadium.
West Ham, however, apparently won’t be the first Premier League club in pursuit of the Algerian. The Daily Mirror claimed in the summer that Everton had a club-record £33.6 million bid for Brahimi knocked back by the player himself. The playmaker is said to have only wanted to move to a club which will give him the best chance of playing in Europe (and probably meaning not via the Europa League). Not much hope for West Ham, then.
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