West Ham United’s offer for Lyon winger Rachid Ghezzal has been confirmed by the French club’s outspoken chairman Jean-Michel Aulas.
The Hammers have had a bumper couple of months in the transfer market, signing a wealth of new players to bolster Slaven Bilic’s squad ahead of the new season.
A lot of these players have been attacking midfielders, with the likes of Sofiane Feghouli and Gokhan Tore joining the already comprehensive creative ranks in east London.
Ghezzal is entering the last year of his contract and as such the Clarets are believed to be ready to snatch him away from the Ligue 1 side, with an offer in the range of £7 million widely being reported.
Aulas has confirmed that West Ham are in the running to land the Algeria international but that Lyon are desperate to keep the young star in France.
“He wants me to talk with his advisors and so I’m going to call them this week to try to break the deadlock,” he is quoted as saying by Foot Sur 7.
“I like Rachid a lot. It would be really good if we might be able to reach an agreement. We have received offers for him, including the one from West Ham.
“I know that Rachid doesn’t want to leave Lyon so we have to find an agreement so as not to remain in a situation that’s not good for either of the two parties involved.”
West Ham failed in attempts to sign Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette earlier this summer.
