West Ham are close to agreeing a deal with Brazilian side Botafogo for goalkeeper John Victor.
The 29-year-old emerged as a surprise target for Graham Potter’s side with the club pursuing deals for Leicester’s Mads Hermansen and Japan international Zion Suzuki.
West Ham have already had two bids rejected but are now said to be close to agreeing a fee around £10million, around the price of his release clause.
The Hammers have been in the hunt for a new goalkeeper all summer following the departure of veteran stopper Lukasz Fabianski and concerns over Alphonse Areola’s ability to be the club’s No 1 following a string of errors at the end of last season and during the club’s Summer Series campaign.
Potter’s recruitment team led by Kyle Macauley had identified Hermansen and Suzuki as their top targets.
Hermansen seemed a natural fit, having been brought through at Danish side Brondby by new goalkeeping coach Casper Ankergren, but the Hammers are believed to have been able to yet reach Leicester’s valuation for the Denmark youth international.
West Ham are closing in on the signing of John Victor as they near an agreement with Brazilian side Botafogo
They had been negotiating a deal for Mads Hermansen but are yet to meet Leicester’s valuation
Lukasz Fabianski has left the club and there are concerns over Alphonse Areola’s ability to be the club’s No 1
Victor played a key role in helping Botafogo lift the Copa Libertadores and win the Brazilian league for the first time in 2024 and featured at the Club World Cup.
Botafogo already have their replacement lined up, having agreed a deal to sign Bournemouth keeper Neto.
Victor had been linked with a move to Manchester United this summer but could now become Potter’s fourth new signing of the summer following the arrivals of El Hadji Malick Diouf, Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson.
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Following Wilson’s arrival, Potter confirmed that Michail Antonio has no future at West Ham. The club had offered Antonio a short-term deal but the striker felt he could gain better terms elsewhere.
West Ham will still allow their all-time Premier League goal scorer to train with club’s under-21s to maintain his fitness after he returned to action for Jamaica this summer following his car crash last December.
‘We’re in a position where we’re making sure we at least provide Michail with the option to train with the under 21s, to keep his team training up, to make sure he’s at the next stage of his rehab,’ said Potter.
‘Then it’s up to me to see where the next part of his career goes. He can still play of course. No, he’s not going to play for West Ham, that’s basically the point. We’re in the process of speaking about what he wants to do in the future, so I wouldn’t want to say too much. If anything, it will be a role, maybe looking at with the 21s, coaching, mentoring, that type of thing. But again, that will be up to him.’