West Ham in talks with Josh King’s agent as Hammers prepare bid for Bournemouth forward who scored 48 Premier League goals

West Ham want to sign Bournemouth forward Josh King before the domestic transfer window closes later this month, talkSPORT understands.

Bournemouth, who were relegated at the end of last season, are open to selling King before his contract expires next summer and the Hammers have now made their move.

King has featured for only 23 minutes this season with Bournemouth willing to sell the forwardGetty Images - Getty

While the international transfer window officially closed on Monday, Premier League and EFL clubs can still do business between themselves until October 16.

And talkSPORT understands West Ham have held talks with King’s agent, with the Hammers now poised to table a bid for the Norway international.

King started his professional career with Manchester United and came close to sealing a move back to Old Trafford in January.

The 28-year-old has been at Bournemouth since 2015, and has scored 48 Premier League goals in 161 appearances in England’s top-flight.

King was for many seasons considered one of the best attackers outside the top six, but he endured a tough 2019/20 campaign, scoring only six goals as the Cherries were relegated.

He has been expected to leave Dean Court this summer, following Nathan Ake, Aaron Ramsdale and Callum Wilson in securing returns to the Premier League.

West Ham freed up space in their wage bill with the loan exit of Felipe Anderson to Porto earlier this week, and the east Londoners also hope to sign a new central defender before the domestic transfer window closes.

They failed with summer swoops for James Tarkowski, Nikola Milenkovic and Duje Caleta-Car, and recent reports claim the Hammers could now move for Watford’s Craig Dawson in a £4million deal.

Dawson was, like King, relegated at the end of last season and he’s allegedly been told by Watford chiefs he is surplus to requirements at Vicarage Road this season.