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West Ham United are tracking the Roma striker with a view to signing the former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham before the transfer window closes.
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Niklas Flukrug has already joined Julen Lopetegui’s side from Borussia Dortmund this summer, but the Hammers are still in need of a back-up number nine, something they lacked last season.
FootMercato reports that West Ham are “very interested” in the former Chelsea youth player, who has been with Roma since 2021.
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It is unclear what kind of fee Roma are seeking for the 26-year-old, but the expected transfer value (ETV) is set at €15.2 million – the Serie A side signed him for €41 million and will be looking to recoup as much of that money as possible.
Abraham was limited to 12 appearances in all competitions for Roma last season due to a serious knee injury, scoring just one goal.
Physical issues are one of the reasons why Abraham’s star power has declined. At one point in his career he was worth €63 million, but his form has dwindled in recent seasons and his value has fallen to a quarter of that amount. In the 2022/23 season, he has scored just seven goals in Serie A.
Read more: Latest West Ham transfer news
Abraham is the backup for Fulkrug
Data analytics experts CySports believe Abraham will join West Ham as a rotation player for manager Repetegui, but is capable of becoming a regular in the first team.
However, Fulcrug’s SciSkill score, based on hundreds of in-game data points, is higher, suggesting the Germany forward would remain the London side’s first choice even if a deal for Abraham were to go ahead.
Early signs at Roma suggest he will be nothing more than a bit part player in the Eternal City this season, having played just one minute in last weekend’s goalless draw with Cagliari on the opening day of Serie A.