M’Baye Niang Set to Join West Ham on Loan from AC Milan
M’Baye Niang is poised to make another move, this time joining Premier League side West Ham United on a season-long loan from AC Milan, according to reports from Goal.com.
The 19-year-old French striker, who has struggled to make a lasting impression at Milan since his arrival in 2012, is leaving the Rossoneri for the second consecutive season. After a somewhat successful loan spell at Montpellier in the second half of the 2014-2015 season, where he scored four goals in 19 Ligue 1 appearances, Niang is now looking to relaunch his career in England.
The deal will see West Ham pay €300,000 for the loan, with the option to purchase Niang at the end of the season for €5 million, a substantial fee compared to the price Milan paid to sign him from Caen. West Ham will have the flexibility to pay the €5 million in two installments, the first after this season and the second after the 2015-2016 campaign. Additionally, Milan has included a clause in the agreement that would entitle them to 10% of any future resale fee should West Ham decide to sell Niang.
With limited opportunities for Niang at Milan, the move appears to be in the best interests of both parties. Milan is eager to offload the striker, and West Ham sees potential in the young player, hoping to benefit from his talents if he performs well during his loan.
This will be the fourth club of Niang’s young career. Despite showing occasional flashes of talent, his off-field behavior has often overshadowed his footballing ability. The player’s talks with West Ham are still ongoing, but it seems a move to the Premier League is imminent as the clubs have reached an agreement.
