Victor Boniface tops West Ham's four-man striker shortlist

Stuart Telford

Updated: 23 May 2024 11:14 BST
3 min read

Bayer Leverkusen's Victor Boniface — © IMAGO

West Ham are plotting a major raid on the transfer market this summer, and plan to hand new manager Julen Lopetegui one of Europe's most coveted strikers in Victor Boniface.

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Lopetegui replaces outgoing manager David Moyes, who led the club to their first European title in 58 years last season but could only steer the club to a ninth-place finish in the Premier League this.

Jarrod Bowen was the Hammers' top scorer last season with 16 league goals, but the England international is winger by trade, and an out-and-out striker is coveted.

READ MORE: Latest West Ham transfer news

Boniface helped fire Bayer Leverkusen to their first ever Bundesliga title this season with 14 goals from his 23 games, only 18 of which were starts, which has unsurprisingly caught the eye.

The transfer value development of Victor Boniface since August 2022 has been absurd! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/isPm6ZHh5P
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) November 15, 2023

"West Ham United are eyeing a move for Victor Boniface after making plans for the early stages of incoming head coach Julen Lopetegui's reign," report GiveMeSport, who also highlight potential alternatives.

Plans B, C and D

"Youssef En-Nesyri, Serhou Guirassy and Armando Broja have also been earmarked as potential acquisitions as Tim Steidten leads West Ham's recruitment drive."

READ MORE: Latest West Ham transfer rumours

Boniface is valued at €26.5 million by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm but it is understood that Leverkusen would look for nearly twice that if they were to part ways with a striker who they paid Union SG just €6.1m for last July.

"If Leverkusen were to be willing to talk at all, offers of more than €55 million would have to be made," Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Such a fee would surpass the club record €50m the Hammers paid Eintracht Frankfurt for Sebastian Haller - another No.9 - in the summer of 2019.

Xaboi Alonso recently described Boniface as a 'complete' striker, but with Patrik Schick now back from injury, two players into once position might not go at the BayArena.