West Ham have opening bid for Championship star rejected after switching winger priority

West Ham United have had an opening bid of around £17m rejected for Burnley star Maxwel Cornet as they become the latest Premier League side to lodge a bid for the Ivory Coast star.

Burnley signed Cornet for £13.5m last summer, and the star scored nine goals as he impressed thoroughly in his first season in the Premier League – although it wasn’t enough to stop the Clarets from being relegated for the first time in six seasons.

The Hammers are joined in their interest in the former Lyon man by Everton, Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle, with all parties bar the latter having seen bids rejected in loan and permanent formats with a £17.5m release clause said to be active.

And according to the Guardian, David Moyes’ men have had an opening bid of £17m rejected in a move that would take Cornet to the London Stadium – quite bizarre given that just £500,000 more would supposedly activate his clause.

The reason for their bid is that a deal to bring primary target, Filip Kostic, to the club, who starred for Eintracht Frankfurt last season, is looking increasingly difficult to complete given that he has reservations over missing out on Champions League football and interest from Juventus.

Burnley will slowly integrate Cornet into their side over the coming weeks ahead of a gruelling Championship campaign and will hope that more derisory bids come in as they aim to keep their star under Vincent Kompany.