West Ham are reportedly keen on Fiorentina striker Khouma Babacar.
Fiorentina striker Khouma Babacar
According to Sky Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio, West Ham United have identified Fiorentina’s Khouma Babacar as a target in case they can’t sign AC Milan’s Carlos Bacca.
The Hammers are in the market for a consistent goalscorer this summer, given that questions surround the futures of Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia, whilst Andy Carroll has had plenty of injury problems.
A host of big-name goalscorers have been heavily touted for a move to the Olympic Stadium, but The Telegraph report that AC Milan’s Carlos Bacca is closing in on a move to East London.
Whilst a £26m fee has allegedly been agreed, West Ham aren’t so keen on paying the Colombian goal machine’s £120,000-a-week wage demands, and whilst they are trying to bring that figure down, Slaven Bilic’s men need to find alternatives in case they can’t land Bacca.
Now, Sky Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio reports that, if West Ham can’t secure Bacca’s signature, they will turn their attention to Fiorentina striker Khouma Babacar.
The Senegalese striker has been on the books with Fiorentina since signing from Pescara as a teenager back in 2008, but has only recently established himself as a first-team player with the Serie A side.
After 20 goals on loan at Modena during the 2013-14 season, Babacar scored nine goals in 28 appearances for Fiorentina in the 2014-15 campaign, but scored only seven times last season.
As he struggled to beat Nikola Kalinic to a first-team spot, the powerful and pacey Babacar could now look to leave Florence in order to play first-team football elsewhere – and with West Ham desperate to land a striker, he will allegedly be targeted by Bilic and the Hammers if a deal for Bacca falls through.
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