Newcastle United and West Ham United are keeping tabs on Villarreal striker Cedric Bakambu, according to Marca.
What’s the story?
It is not the first time that the Hammers have been linked to the Congo international, but they reportedly fell short of the club’s asking price.
So far this season, Bakambu has scored nine goals in 14 outings in all competitions, and eight of those were netted in La Liga.
Marca claims that Newcastle and West Ham have taken notice of the forward’s goalscoring form, while West Bromwich Albion have also been registered with an interest.
It is believed that Bakambu has a release clause worth around £27m, while transfermarkt.com value the striker at £14.4m.
Could Newcastle or West Ham win the race?
The striker would be a great addition to either team, particularly as both are in need of a reliable goalscorer.
Javier Hernandez was meant to be the solution for the Hammers, but in 13 appearances in all competitions, the Mexico international has scored four times.
It is worth noting, though, that the 29-year-old was played out of position numerous times by former manager Slaven Bilic, who was replaced by David Moyes.
For both West Ham and Newcastle, the biggest stumbling block is the £27m price tag.
The East London outfit could not meet the valuation before, while the Magpies’ takeover situation brings uncertainty with regards to transfer budget.
