Having already been snubbed by Everton’s Johnny Heitinga, West Ham are likely to miss out on another transfer target – only this time Merseyside could be welcoming the new signing.
Monaco striker Lacine Traore – a 6 ft 8” centre forward who the French side purchased from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala last year – is set to move on loan to Everton and heap more pressure on Allardyce to deliver signings that could turn his faltering West Ham side around. Word spreads fast in football, and once the news was out that the Ivorian would be granted a work permit to join the Hammers, Everton swooped to lure him to Goodison Park.
The move may of course not go through at all, following news that Monaco’s most important player – centre forward Falcao – has suffered an injury that could keep him out of action for a number of weeks. Thus, Traore may finally start to see more game time for the Ligue 1 club.
West Ham’s need for a striker does at least seem to be alleviating with the encouraging form of Andy Carroll, the talismanic striker being drip-fed time on the pitch as he recovers from an injury which has kept him sidelined for most of the season thus far.
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