West Ham to push for Tammy Abraham loan deal
By Tom Gott
West Ham United are expected to try to land Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham on loan this summer, after baulking at the Blues' £40m asking price for a permanent deal.
Hammers boss David Moyes recently confessed that that figure is well out of their comfort zone, admitting that his side would not be pursuing Abraham if Chelsea continue to demand that kind of money for the young forward.
According to The Athletic's Simon Johnson, that stance is shared by fellow suitors Aston Villa, Leicester City and Newcastle, all of whom are hesitant to pay that kind of money for Abraham this summer.
With Chelsea not receiving a lot of phone calls about Abraham, West Ham are expected to attempt to bring the 23-year-old over to the London Stadium on loan for next season.
The problem with a loan move for Chelsea is that this is their last chance to sell Abraham for his full value. If he leaves temporarily next season, he'll have just 12 months remaining on his contract when he returns and Chelsea's negotiating stance will be weakened. That's not how the Blues operate.
For Abraham to leave on loan, he would have to sign a contract extension, but that seems highly unlikely.
The 23-year-old has rejected talks already, having grown frustrated with both his lack of minutes and Chelsea's continued search for a new striker. Erling Haaland, Romelu Lukaku and Sergio Aguero are all on the wish list, suggesting Chelsea do not see Abraham as their striker of the future.
For Abraham, that won't work. Now 23, he wants to settle somewhere with a fair shot at regular minutes. He would prefer to stay at Chelsea and lead the line for the next decade, but with the chances of that happening looking slimmer and slimmer, an exit seems the only way forwards.
All the signs suggest West Ham's attempt to lure Abraham over on loan will be rebuffed, but the striker may be forced to reconsider his stance on a short-term extension if nobody comes in for his signature.
Since Thomas Tuchel's arrival in January, Abraham has seen just 230 minutes of action, so first-team football next season is vital.