West Ham United have set their sight on Cruzeiro centre-forward Kaio Jorge for a possible transfer to the London Stadium next summer, according to RTI Esporte.
Kaio Jorge first came to the limelight as a teenager while having come through the ranks at Santos. His performances caught the attention of several European clubs before Juventus won the race to sign him in 2021.
However, the youngster struggled in his first European season with the Turin-based outfit and went on multiple loans at Frosinone before eventually returning to his homeland to feature for Cruzeiro, where he has now rediscovered his form.
The Brazilian has been in prolific goalscoring form this season, recording 20 goal contributions in 22 games, with his 15 goals being the most of any player in the Brazilian Serie A.
As per RTI Esporte, the Brazil international’s performances have piqued the interest of several clubs in Europe, including West Ham, who have now set their sights on signing the prolific centre-forward.
The report adds that the East Londoners have expressed their willingness to submit a formal £21m offer to Cruzeiro for the transfer of the 23-year-old to the London Stadium.
Prolific forward
While the proposal has not been received by the Brazilian outlet yet, the Brazilian outlet claims that West Ham have expressed a ‘strong and clear’ interest in signing Kaio Jorge.
With a background in futsal, where he first developed his technical ability, and having finished as a runner-up with Brazil’s U17 squad at the 2019 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, Kaio Jorge possesses a blend of physicality, speed, and goalscoring prowess. These qualities earned him a place in Santos’ senior squad as a teenager.
Often likened to Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino for his effectiveness in the No. 10 role, his versatility allows him to operate across various positions in the final third, making him a valuable attacking asset due to the tactical flexibility he offers the coach.
With West Ham already preparing a formal offer to sign him, questions remain over his ability to adapt to Europe after struggling in his first stint with Juventus.
