• Premier League

Kalou in talks with West Ham

ESPN staff
July 30, 2013
Salomon Kalou is under contract at Lille until 2016 © Getty Images
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Salomon Kalou has entered negotiations with West Ham United after Lille accepted a €3.5 million offer for the Ivorian international.

Kalou, 27, scored 14 goals in Ligue 1 last season but Lille are keen to reduce their wage bill. L'Equipe reports that West Ham's offer was €500,000 higher than Lille's valuation and that the player's agents are in London to discuss the move.

Last week West Ham boss Sam Allardyce said that he hoped to bring Kalou in, but there is no guarantee that the former Chelsea player will agree to the transfer, having already turned down approaches from West Bromwich Albion and Turkish side Trabzonspor this summer.

Kalou is under contract until 2016 and after an impressive second half to his debut season at Lille, he might not want to risk changing clubs again given the World Cup in Brazil is approaching.

After losing Marouane Chamakh, Wellington Paulista and Carlton Cole - who has held talks with Saint-Etienne - Hammers co-owner David Sullivan recently admitted via Twitter that the club were looking to bring more firepower to the club.

Allardyce spent a club record £15m on Andy Carroll last month but Mali international Modibo Maiga is the only other senior forward at the club.

Lille boss Rene Girard had been counting on having Kalou available but L'Equipe reports that he might use any money raised from the sale to bring in an attacker and a defender before the close of the transfer window.

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