West Ham United Eyeing €30m Deal for Ajax's Brian Brobbey

West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing Ajax striker Brian Brobbey as a replacement for Michail Antonio.

West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing Ajax striker Brian Brobbey, 23, as a potential replacement for Michail Antonio. According to several Dutch media outlets, the Hammers are actively working on a transfer for the young striker.

Brobbey has had a challenging season with Ajax, scoring only three goals, with his last strike coming in the Eredivisie match against PEC Zwolle on November 24th. Despite his struggles, West Ham appear to be keen on acquiring his services.

Reports from Voetbal International's Tim van Duijn and De Telegraaf's Mike Verweij suggest that West Ham are initially exploring a loan deal for Brobbey, which would include an obligation to buy the striker. However, Ajax are reportedly unwilling to consider a loan deal and instead prefer to sell Brobbey permanently.

Brian Brobbey, a 23-year-old striker, has previously left Ajax to join RB Leipzig on a free transfer in the summer of 2021. However, his stint in Germany was short-lived, as he made only nine appearances and failed to score a single goal, prompting him to re-join Ajax on loan just six months later.

🚨⚪️ Tottenham are not expected to proceed with any bid or formal contact for Brian Brobbey after asking for deal conditions.

West Ham remain in contact and keen on getting it done but Ajax want obligation to buy included. pic.twitter.com/9fQfdF18cC

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 24, 2025

Brobbey's loan spell was later made permanent in the summer of 2022, with Ajax reportedly paying a fee of around €16 million to secure his services. Despite this, Ajax are now looking to offload the striker to generate funds for new signings, with a permanent transfer being their preferred option.

Ajax currently have a trio of strikers in their senior squad, comprising Brobbey, Dutch international Wout Weghorst, and Englishman Chuba Akpom. However, the Dutch record champions are eager to bolster their squad and are seeking to sell Brobbey to West Ham United, who are looking to strengthen their striker position following Michail Antonio's car accident in December.

To secure Brobbey's services, West Ham will need to pay a reported fee of €30 million, excluding an additional €5 million in add-ons. Brobbey, who is under contract until 2027, has had a modest campaign so far, scoring just three goals across the Eredivisie, Europa League qualifying, and the Europa League's league phase.

Despite his relatively slow start to the season, Brobbey enjoyed a prolific campaign last year, netting 18 goals and providing 8 assists in the Eredivisie. His impressive performances earned him the accolade of Ajax's player of the year, as voted by the fans.