La Gazzetta dello Sport has reported that West Ham have entered the transfer market for AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham as they look to sign a replacement for Michail Antonio.
The Jamaican international is set to draw the curtains on a lengthy career with the Londoners at the end of June and has left a big gap to be filled for Julen Lopetegui’s side heading into next season.
Gazzetta adds that Abraham is a realistic option for the Hammers as Roma are planning to sell him this summer to fund their own squad overhaul under Danielle de Rossi.
The Serie A giants are resigned to accepting a loss on Abraham’s sale. It is expected that a fee of around £18.5 million would be enough to convince them to sell the English international.
Abraham was a key part of Jose Mourinho’s plans at the Stadio Olimpico, but an ACL injury kept him out of action for almost the entirety of 2023/24 and eventually evaded him of a Euro 2024 spot too.
Abraham ideal for West Ham
Tammy Abraham scored 27 goals in all competitions for AS Roma in his maiden season at the club during 2021/22 and was a crucial part of Jose Mourinho’s Conference League winning team.
Even at Chelsea in 2018/19, his breakthrough campaign for the Blues, Abraham struck 26 times in all competitions across 40 appearances to prove his potential as one of England’s finest strikers.
A Premier League return has been mooted for the 26-year-old, who has been deemed surplus to requirements at AS Roma and West Ham would be a good returning destination for him.
The Hammers can benefit from his prolific experience playing in two leagues, whereas Lopetegui’s system of playing the ball down the middle can also reap rewards with a physical striker like Abraham.
Moreover, £18.5 million is a very reasonable investment for a striker who has produced promising numbers and still has the best years of his career ahead of him.
West Ham are yet to open concrete talks with AS Roma for Abraham but are set to face competition from Aston Villa, with Unai Emery equally keen on bringing in the ex-Chelsea star to Birmingham.
