West Ham have revived their interest in Bernard after learning the Brazil winger could be persuaded to lower his wage demands.
Manuel Pellegrini targeted the 25-year-old earlier this summer only for West Ham to turn their attention elsewhere after being told the former Shakhtar Donetsk player wanted a contract worth £200,000 a week. Yet Bernard has still not found a club since leaving Shakhtar at the end of last season and Pellegrini is considering whether to challenge Chelsea and Milan for the winger who has played 14 times for Brazil.
West Ham have already strengthened in attack, signing Felipe Anderson from Lazio in a deal worth up to £42.5m and Andriy Yarmolenko from Borussia Dortmund but they want further reinforcements after Andy Carroll’s latest injury setback. A bid for Porto’s Yacine Brahimi has been rejected and West Ham have explored the possibility of signing the Algeria winger’s team-mate, Moussa Marega. Reports in Spain have linked them with a move for the Celta Vigo forward Maxi Gómez.
Yet Bernard’s availability on a free transfer makes him an attractive option, although West Ham must convince the Brazil international, who has also been linked with Benfica, to compromise on his financial demands.
West Ham have had a busy summer, bolstering their squad with eight signings, and they retain hope of signing a defensive midfielder after selling Cheikhou Kouyaté to Crystal Palace. Yet Pellegrini is running out of time to give his new team more steel in midfield before the transfer window shuts on Thursday. Porto’s Hector Herrera and Danilo Pereira, plus Lille’s Thiago Maia are in the frame, and West Ham have contacted Wolfsburg about the availability of Ignacio Camacho, who played for Pellegrini at Málaga. While Camacho is keen on the idea of linking up with his former manager, Wolfsburg’s preference is to sell the 28-year-old Spaniard now rather than accept West Ham’s proposal of a loan with a view to buy next year.
The uncertainty means Pellegrini remains unwilling to sell Pedro Obiang to Sampdoria, despite the Spanish midfielder’s desire to return to the Italian club. The only players likely to leave are those deemed surplus to requirements, with Sam Byram, Edimilson Fernandes, Jordan Hugill and Reece Oxford up for sale.
