West Ham look set for disappointment in their chase for a new striker, with reports suggesting they will miss out to a Premier League rival.
The Daily Mail states that Crystal Palace have leapfrogged West Ham in the chase for Fiorentina striker Khouma Babacar, who is a loan target for David Moyes’ strugglers this month.
Palace have enjoyed an upturn in form since Roy Hodgson took charge at Selhurst Park but continue to struggle in front of goal. Now, with a deal for West Ham’s Diafra Sakho stalling, the Eagles are looking to beat West Ham to Babacar.
Moyes’ side are keen on securing the 24-year-old Senegalese international on-loan this month but their approach may well be trumped by Palace, who have reportedly swooped with a £15m deal to bring the forward in on a permanent basis.
Babacar has struggled to earn opportunities for Fiorentina this season, making no starts this term, but has managed to score four goals in 15 appearances off the bench.
The striker will be seeking more consistent opportunities in the second-half of the season though as he looks to secure his spot with Senegal for the upcoming World Cup, where the African nation find themselves in a difficult group alongside Japan, Colombia and Poland.
