The Hammers are reportedly hoping to secure the Lorient and France Under-20s ace’s signature, with the Gunners also said to be keen.
West Ham United have made a £10million bid for Lorient and France Under-20 forward Alexis Claude-Maurice, Sky Sports News has claimed.
The 21-year-old has come off the back of a successful 2018-19 campaign at club level, scoring 14 goals in 35 appearances for Lorient last season in Ligue 2 (Transfermarkt).
However, as Lorient missed out on promotion with a sixth-placed finish in the French second tier, Claude-Maurice is being tipped to play at a higher level next term.
The Sky Sports report claims that West Ham are eager to get their transfer business done early this summer and have moved for the player, who has also been linked with Arsenal.
An earlier report from The Mirror, meanwhile, claims that Norwich City, newly promoted to the Premier League, were keeping tabs on the highly rated youngster.
That same article adds that Lille are eyeing Claude-Maurice as a replacement for Nicolas Pepe – the forward who has reportedly been watched by Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Bayern Munich – and Monaco in Ligue 1
Claude-Maurice is a versatile player, having starred on the flanks for Lorient and also skilled in the middle of the park – indeed, The Mirror suggests his long-term position will be central.
Here is what some West Ham fans on Twitter have made of the speculation:
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