January transfer target Ibrahim Osman agrees deal with a Premier League rival in blow to slow West Ham.

Osman, who looked likely to join the Hammers in the January window is now set to join Brighton after the Seagulls agreed a deal worth just shy of £17 million for the Ghanaian winger.

West Ham had a quiet January, in what was a quiet window for clubs across the Premier League. The Hammers were in a position where they had to offload players to bring signings through the door, the loan deal for Kalvin Phillips for the remainder of the season was West Ham’s only January acquisition.

Pablo Fornals left the club on a permanent transfer to join Real Betis, and Said Benrahma also departed to sign for French side Olympique Lyonnais on a loan deal. With the club being left short of options out wide, David Moyes’ side was certainly in the market for a winger.

Ibrahim Osman was a name heavily linked to West Ham in the January transfer window and it was reported the club had a number of bids rejected for the Nordsjaelland talent. The Evening Standard reported that these offers went up to around the £13 million mark, suggesting the club did not go any higher as they did not want to get drawn into a bidding war for the 19 year old.

Ultimately, the Hammers did not sign any replacements in the wide areas, and the departures of Fornals and Benrahma, as well as fullback Thilo Kehrer on loan, have left what already was not the biggest squad even more threadbare in terms of options.

Brighton have succeeded where West Ham failed in agreeing a deal for 19 year old Osman, in doing so they have added another young and exciting talent to their ranks. Hammers supporters will be forgiven for feeling frustrated at the fact that, for the sake of around £4 million, the club have missed out on a talented young forward who would have bolstered West Ham’s limited attacking options.

Written by Finlay Jackson