West Ham United make £40m bid for Dominic Solanke transfer

West Ham had a £40million bid for 25-year-old Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke rejected last month, as David Moyes wants to sign a striker, according to The Guardian.

The newspaper shared via its website on 17 August that the Hammers had stepped up their interest in the striker

with a massive bid, although Bournemouth were not tempted by it and rejected their advances.

West Ham have been targeting a striker all summer, and also retain an interest in Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun,

with his price tag expected to be even higher than the Solanke bid at around £45million.

Solanke is a very ‘Moyes’ signing

Premier League experience? Tick. Physical presence? Tick. Ability to bring teammates into play while also providing

a threat himself? Tick and tick. It’s no surprise that Moyes is keen on the Bournemouth forward, and it would make

him an excellent addition to his side.

Doubts lingered around Solanke’s ability to carry his form into the Premier League, but he put them to bed last

season scoring six goals and getting seven assists when he proved his worth as an attacking influence, with his ability

to bring teammates into play a huge plus point.

It was reported earlier this summer that Moyes is keen on singing players with Premier League experience after last

summer’s issues including players like Gianluca Scamacca, who has now joined Atalanta, struggling to adapt to the league.

For Bournemouth to reject a £40million offer shows their own belief in Solanke, as they clearly believe he is either

worth more or are just completely refusing to sell, as they look to push on after a busy transfer window.

 

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Stephens and Dodd pay tribute to late Southampton legend Ruddick

“I was at Bath City and wasn’t picked up by anybody,” Dodd told club media. “I was 18 and I’d sort of missed the boat

on youth football a bit.

“But Rod was the driving force that got me the trial down here for six weeks. I wasn’t sure about it, but he was

instrumental in saying ‘You’ve got to give it a go, I believe in you’ and luckily for me Chris Nicholl, the manager at the

time, also believed in me.

“Because of Rod I got to come down and earned a professional contract. I was just lucky I had someone like Rod who

believed in me, pushed me and helped me fulfil a dream I didn’t think I would be able to.”

Stephens, who signed for Saints as a teenager from Plymouth Argyle in 2011 before becoming captain this month,

detailed: “I think I was about 11 or 12, playing in a tournament for my school.

“Rod was there working as a scout for Southampton and he spoke to my dad and obviously realised it was too far for

me to come for a trial, so he spoke to someone he knew at Plymouth and got me a trial there.

“He was a massive part of me eventually coming here, but originally going to Plymouth, so I’ve got a lot to owe Rod

for. He had so much passion for his job. He loved scouting and watching games.

“You could just see how proud he was that he was able to find so many players that could help this football club and

other football clubs as well. There are hundreds that he’s probably had a big influence on.

“He was a brilliant, brilliant scout, but just an even better bloke. A really nice man who had time for everyone. Just

an all-round brilliant guy.”

Dodd echoed those thoughts, adding: “He was a friend and was someone you could rely on. He was just a lovely man.

“He was very, very good at what he did and it’s not a surprise he was instrumental in getting numerous players

professional deals and helping them make a living out of football.”