Toulouse manager Pascal Dupraz says he “sincerely believes” that Martin Braithwaite will stay at the club and won’t leave during the January transfer window.
Reports in France suggested that Toulouse had rejected a €10million bid from West Ham for Braithwaite but Dupraz told RMC Sport (via L’Equipe) that he thinks the 25 year old will remain at the Ligue One side:
“It is up to [Toulouse president] Olivier Sadran to say whether Braithwaite should stay. I sincerely believe that Braithwaite will.”
The Danish international has scored seven goals in 16 league appearances for Toulouse so far this campaign, and can either play up front or on the left hand side of the attack.
His goalscoring record in past seasons is not particularly impressive. In 120 games for Toulouse, he has scored 36 times. At his previous club Esbjerg, his strike rate wasn’t much better with just 19 goals in 97 appearances in the Danish Superligaen.
The Hammers have been searching for a low cost striker to improve the club’s attacking options with the expected departures of Simone Zaza and Jonathan Calleri, the injury to Diafra Sakho, and with Andre Ayew leaving for the African Cup of Nations. Southampton’s Shane Long and Brentford’s Scott Hogan are the latest to have been linked with a move to the London Stadium.
