West Ham target Elye Wahi to join Lens | OneFootball

RC Lens have won the race to sign free-scoring Montpellier target Elye Wahi (20), according to a report this Saturday from Foot Mercato.

The 20-year-old France U21 international has agreed to join the Artois side, who are able to match Montpellier’s valuation of their prized asset. Wahi is expected to cost Lens between €30m and €35m including bonuses. West Ham were also in the running to sign the Montpellier youth product. Wahi himself was keen on a move to the Hammers. However, the French publication understands he did not receive enough guarantees on West Ham’s project. Besides, Montpellier have reportedly not received a formal bid from the Premier League side.

As for Lens, Wahi’s signing represents a statement of intent for Franck Haise’s side. The 2022-23 Ligue 1 runners-up were desperately looking for a centre-forward following the club-record €50m sale of Loïs Openda to RB Leipzig. Foot Mercato goes as far as saying that Wahi will undergo his medical this Saturday before putting pen to paper on his contract with Lens. Wahi, who was tied to Montpellier until 2025, was one of Ligue 1’s breakout players of the last campaign after logging 19 goals and six assists in 33 games played with Michel Der Zakarian’s side.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval