Sport Witness
After West Ham make enquiry president flies to London for transfer talks
According to a claim in the Turkish media Besiktas president Fikret Orman last night flew to London with the club’s head of transfers Umut Guner.
Fotomac claim the Besiktas president is in London to talk with English clubs regarding the sale of Anderson Talisca. The attacker has been linked with a move to West Ham United in recent days.
The player is currently on loan with Besiktas from Benfica, but the Turkish club are struggling to pay the redemption fee.
However, it’s been previously reported in the Turkish press that Besiktas may consider paying the €21m redemption clause to Benfica, and then sell the Brazilian on for a profit.
It’s also reported Orman will meet with Talisca’s representatives, and it’s expected the Benfica owned player’s future will become much more clear.
Earlier this week we covered reports from the Turkish media that West Ham are showing an interest in Talisca ahead of the summer transfer window.
West Ham have reportedly made an enquiry with his parent club Benfica but there have been no claims that an offer has been made by the Hammers.
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West Ham and Everton make offers to sign Leonardo Bittencourt
Danny Owen
Premier League rivals Everton and West Ham have been linked with the Cologne player.
Cologne might have been relegated from the Bundesliga one year after they qualified for Europe for the first time in two decades, but no one could point the finger at Leonardo Bittencourt.
The 24-year-old winger has been one of the few players to do himself proud this season and appeared to be almost single-handedly attempting to keep Cologne in the top flight. He has scored four goals in his last three games.
But according to German outlet Express, the Billy Goats are likely to be bidding farewell to Bittencourt this summer.
It is understood that Premier League duo West Ham United and Everton have now made formal offers to sign the former Borussia Dortmund winger, who was once rated very highly by Jurgen Klopp at the Signal Iduna Park.
This comes just a week after Bild stated that Tottenham Hotspur had made an approach to sign Bittencourt. It is understood that he has a £7 million release clause in his contract, which appears to have come into effect now Cologne’s relegation is confirmed.
And while Jonas Hector and Timo Horn have admirably committed their future to the now second division outfit, Bittencourt could be tempted by a move to the Premier League.
Although it remains to be seen where he ends up – Everton, West Ham United or somewhere else entirely.
