Good news, West Ham fans, Jonathan Bamba will not be renewing with Saint-Etienne, according to But! Football Club, meaning the young forward will indeed be available on a free come the end of the season.
While this was widely expected, there hasn’t been any confirmation, with everyone merely guessing that since a renewal still hadn’t been signed, he was leaving.
Well, the French website explained over the weekend that the board have now come to terms with the fact they will lose Bamba when the current campaign comes to an end.
This means the likes of West Ham, who have been labeled by many media outlets as being in the lead, and Crystal Palace will now have to fight it out for a youngster who, if managed well, could become a key element of their attack.
Bamba has scored seven goals and picked up seven assists this season in 28 appearances, and has a lot of time ahead of him to improve, which he could do under the tutelage of David Moyes or Roy Hodgson, providing the Hammers and the Eagles don’t get relegated to the Championship.
As always, it’ll most likely come down to money and who can offer him the most game time.
