West Ham United are contemplating a summer bid for Sporting CP star Pedro Goncalves.
Pedro Goncalves, 25, joined Wolverhampton Wanderers as a youngster in 2017 but managed just one senior appearance, before returning to Portugal and signing for Famalicao in 2019. A year later, Sporting CP came calling for his signature and the versatile attacker has since gone from strength to strength.
The two-cap Portuguese international has racked up an impressive tally of 76 goals and 50 assists in 173 games for Sporting CP thus far. He has enjoyed a fantastic 2023/24 campaign, contributing with 18 goals and 16 assists in 44 games across all competitions whilst helping the Lions to the summit of the Primeira Liga.
Goncalves’ eye-catching form in Portugal has sparked interest from several European clubs, including West Ham United. The Hammers are reportedly running the rule over the 25-year-old but could face a challenge from Premier League rivals Aston Villa for his signature.
West Ham plot a summer bid for Pedro Goncalves
West Ham manager David Moyes’ future at the London Stadium is up in the air following a disappointing Premier League campaign. Time is running out for Moyes, whose side drew 2-2 with Liverpool at home in the league on Saturday. The Scot’s current terms expire on June 30 and there is nothing concrete to suggest the club would offer him an extension, especially after the 5-2 defeat to London rivals Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park last week.
It remains to be seen who replaces Moyes at the helm, but the Irons have already started planning for the next season. West Ham need attacking reinforcements to lift the quality of the squad, and Sporting CP’s Pedro Goncalves has emerged on their radar.
Goncalves has been terrific for Sporting, delivering incredible numbers over the last couple of seasons. He is a versatile player who is comfortable operating as a winger, striker, No.10 or in central midfield, and with technicians like Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse around him, the 25-year-old could potentially thrive at West Ham. The Portuguese international’s knack for creating chances and scoring goals would elevate the Hammers’ quality as well as squad depth.
Goncalves is understood to have a £69m release clause in his contract which expires in 2027, with Aston Villa and newly-crowned Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen closely monitoring him. They would certainly have the advantage over West Ham in the player’s pursuit, however, if the east London outfit can persuade Ruben Amorim to replace Moyes at the helm next season—having met him in London last week—there’s every chance Goncalves will follow his current Sporting CP manager’s footsteps.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
