West Ham are in a strong position to sign Evan Ferguson from Brighton after Bayer Leverkusen’s need for a new forward was lessened by Al-Nassr choosing Jhon Durán over Victor Boniface.
Leverkusen emerged as frontrunners for Ferguson this week but their interest could cool after Boniface’s proposed move to the Saudi Pro League was called off at the last minute. Al-Nassr are poised to sign Durán from Villa, with the 21-year-old set to undergo a medical on Thursday.
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West Ham have been alerted to Brighton deciding that Ferguson is available on a loan or a permanent deal. However there is a lot of competition, with Arsenal, Leverkusen, Everton, Bournemouth and Tottenham making inquiries about the Republic of Ireland striker, and West Ham have drawn up contingency plans.
The club had a bid for PSV Eindhoven’s Ricardo Pepi turned down on Wednesday. The offer for the 22-year-old USA international was a loan with an obligation to buy for €25m (£21m). There is doubt over whether West Ham will return with a second offer, with some recruitment figures unsure over whether Pepi is a good fit for Graham Potter’s team.
Potter needs a forward after losing Michail Antonio and Niclas Füllkrug to injuries. West Ham have considered Ajax’s Brian Brobbey, RB Leipzig’s André Silva and Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz.
There is confidence, though, that a deal for Ferguson can be struck. A loan with an option to buy has been discussed but sources believe a bid of about £40m could be enough for a sale. Ferguson has struggled in the past 18 months and is returning from an ankle injury but is regarded as one of the best young strikers in England.
Potter gave Ferguson his debut at Brighton and it has been pointed out that the 20-year-old would have a good chance of playing regularly for West Ham, who are also looking at the Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil and the Brighton defender Adam Webster.
