West Ham United are out of the running to sign Lorient striker Terem Moffi, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.
The Lowdown: Contrasting claims
The Nigeria international has entered the final 18 months of his contract with Regis Le Bris’ side, which has alerted several clubs that a deal could be struck before the end of the transfer window.
In the Premier League, it’s the Irons who have been heavily linked with the 23-year-old, whilst Nice and Marseille from Ligue 1 are also attentive to his situation.
Reports have recently claimed that the forward has an agreement in place to move to the London Stadium, but one journalist's latest claim would suggest that the reality is rather different.
The Latest: Taylor’s update
Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Taylor delivered an update on Moffi’s current stance and suggested that West Ham have dropped out of the race to sign him.
He wrote: “Terem Moffi trained with Lorient this morning. Another big day in [the] race for [the] highly-coveted Nigerian frontman. Marseille chief exec Pablo Longoria was in Brittany for talks on Tuesday but no green light. Nice now pushing to seal signing. West Ham ship has seemingly sailed.”
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The Verdict: Blow for Moyes
Moffi has previously been dubbed a ‘prolific’ attacker by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and it will be a huge blow for David Moyes to learn that he is likely to miss out on his target.
The 6 foot 2 predator has scored 12 goals in 18 appearances so far this season and is currently averaging 1.9 shots per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 (WhoScored).
The Hammers are just one point above the relegation zone, having scored a mere 17 league goals as a squad, making the need for attacking reinforcements clear, but it sounds like they may now have to turn their attention elsewhere before Tuesday's deadline.