Ham United increase major Hugo Ekitike offer as they refuse to give up on PSG striker transfer

West Ham have now “made it known” they are willing to pay €45million [£38.5m] to sign Hugo Ekitike from PSG, according to Seb Ecrivain Foot.

The Les Bons Conceil Du Sports editor reported via Twitter Thursday night (31 August) that the Hammers were ready to up their offer as they would “not let go” of the pursuit for the 21-year-old striker.

It had earlier been reported the same day by Sports Zone that the Irons would pay as much as €40m [£34.2m] but the French giants had “blocked” the move because they want to deal with Eintracht Frankfurt instead, despite agreement with the French forward himself.

Ekitike has been named as the likely new focus of Tim Steidten’s attentions after the technical director returned “empty handed” from Brazil, with the Daily Mail’s Kieran Gill stating on the penultimate day of the window that West Ham “really like” the Parc des Princes youngster.

Forcing the issue

If PSG want to do a deal with Frankfurt in order to help them sign Randal Kolo Muani then this is clearly going to be an uphill struggle.

Money usually talks in the transfer window but one club for whom the Premier League’s financial might has less effect is likely to be the Qatar-backed Ligue 1 side.

However, it is clear that the Irons aren’t giving this one up without a fight and are ready to spend big to land Ekitike, and if he is open to the move himself then there is scope for it to still get done.

PSG have already told Ekitike that he isn’t needed in Paris [L’Equipe, 9 August] so if their primary concern is making a move for Kolo Muani more acceptable on the balance sheet then a bigger fee to sell their unwanted current forward might change their minds.

Since the pursuits of Yuri Alberto and Pedro in Brazil have come to nothing the options now appear to be down to Ekitike and Youssef En-Nesyri, who David Moyes has been after for a long time now.

Whether the club decides to turn to the Sevilla man before 11pm Friday remains to be seen but if the money on offer for Ekitike has reached this level he certainly appears to be the priority.

In other West Ham news, the club are “furious” about a “scandalous” deadline day situation where they could yet see four first-team players all leave.