West Ham Identify Swansea’s Zan Vipotnik as Key Target in Post-Relegation Rebuild

West Ham are monitoring Zan Vipotnik’s situation at Swansea City as Nuno Espírito Santo attempts to construct a squad capable of returning to the Premier League at the first attempt, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.

But Vipotnik, whose metrics make him the most effective attacking force in England’s second tier, has also attracted admiring glances from Nuno, whose experiences with Wolverhampton Wanderers taught him the importance of working with players with both the attitude and the work ethic required to thrive in EFL competition.

Having been unable to preserve West Ham’s elite level status, after being appointed as Graham Potter’s successor before Christmas, Nuno accepts that most of his biggest names are set to depart over the coming months, with Jarrod Bowen, Cryscencio Summerville and Mateus Fernandes among them. 

Alongside the Slovenian striker, Sheffield United’s Sydie Peck, who has also been linked with Brentford, heads an extensive list of potential targets compiled by the Portuguese and his employer’s recruitment department. 

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Given the club’s precarious financial status, which could be exacerbated further by the resignation of chairman David Sullivan, he has prompted him to focus on attempting to acquire replacements well-versed in the demands of arguably England’s most gruelling competition, given its pressure and relentless fixture schedule.

Vipotnik, who finished the campaign with an Expected Goals measurement of 18.3, has netted 25 times in only 49 outings for Swansea since joining them from Bordeaux two years ago. 

Capped 24 times by Slovenia, he also amassed an impressive 11 assists but was unable to help his side secure top-six qualification.

Those statistics have helped him collect an army of admirers both at home and abroad, which is likely to materialise into a move away from South Wales before the start of the new campaign. 

With West Ham anticipated to be among the main challengers for automatic promotion next term, the prospect of being able to bed himself into a team before enjoying a chance to spearhead its frontline in the PL would be an attractive proposition for the 24-year-old, who began his career with Maribor before heading to France.