Gregoire Defrel isn’t a name too many Premier League fans will be familiar with, but that could soon change.
The French striker who currently plies his trade in Serie A with Sampdoria, on loan from Roma, has scored six goals in eighteen appearances so far this season. That decent strike-rate, particularly for a mid-table side like Sampdoria, has put a host of Premier League clubs on alert.
According to Sky Sports, West Ham, Watford and Fulham are all potentially in the market for a new frontman this transfer window, and Defrel may just fit the bill for one of them.
Fulham have only managed 19 goals in 21 games all season so their need is obvious, while West Ham appear overly reliant on Felipe Anderson and Marko Arnautovic for goals, and so would love another goalscorer to ease their burden. Watford have done reasonably well so far this season in terms of goals but none of their frontline has managed more than five goals.
Defrel could be the ideal fit for any of these teams. The 27-year-old has been pretty much the epitome of a “one-goal-in-three” striker for most of his career, having bagged 23 goals in 73 games for Sassuolo over two seasons before his move to Roma in 2017. That sort of regular hitrate could be invaluable to any of the three Premier League teams interested.
Having joined Roma for around £13 million, you’d expect a fee in the region of £18-20million would secure the signature of the Frenchman. It remains to be seen which Premier League club, if any, takes the plunge.
