West Ham are preparing a move for Chelsea star Bertrand Traore following the forward’s impressive spell in the Eredivisie with Ajax last season, according to reports from The Mirror.
Traore scored 13 times for Ajax last season as Petr Bosz’s – who recently took over at Inter Milan – side finished second in the league and reached the Europa League final.
Slaven Bilic is reportedly a big admirer of the 21-year-old forward who can operate as either a winger or a striker, and may look to take the Burkino Faso international on-loan for the coming season, or indeed sign him permanently should Chelsea be open to allowing him to leave.
The youngster would likely command a fee in the region of £17 million should be make the move away from Stamford Bridge, however with the futures of both Diego Costa and Michy Batshuayi – also a target for the Hammers – up in the air, as well as Chelsea’s well known reluctancy to part ways permanently with young talent, prizing the forward away from South-east London could prove difficult.
The Hammers are also interested in Eupen’s Henry Onyekuru and Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud as they look to strengthen their forward line after a disappointing last campaign in front of goal.
