West Ham United are on course to lose youth sensation Benicio Baker-Boaitey in the summer as the teen star plans talks with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, according to The Sun.
Baker-Boaitey is expected to fly to Germany to hold talks with the 2019/20 Bundesliga champions regarding a potential move to the Allianz Arena, feeling he is ready to quit West Ham and the chance to play in the Premier League.
The 16-year-old had been offered professional terms to continue his career in east London but rejected the proposed deal that would have kicked in on his 17th birthday next January.
West Ham are expected to make just £230,000 in compensation for his training if Baker-Boaitey does leave their academy, with a host of top European sides willing to rival Bayern Munich for his signature.
Liverpool, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are all believed to have scouted the highly-rated England youth winger, while an unnamed European side have also invited him to hold talks over a potential move.
West Ham had high hopes of Baker-Boaitey becoming one of the Irons’ next homegrown stars, but now risk losing him to sides growing increasingly aware of the vast profit that can be made on young English players like Borussia Dortmund’s £120m-valued Jadon Sancho.
Baker-Boaitey is expected to spend the week with his advisors mulling over the offers on the table ahead of confirming the youngster’s future, which looks set for big things given the clubs lining up at his door.
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West Ham allowing a rising star to leave the club for just £230,000 will surely raise some frustrations at the London Stadium, where the winger would see Grady Diangana’s difficult route to first-team football.
Having been awarded his senior Irons debut at 20 against Manchester United early into the 2018/19 season, Diangana only started ten of his 21 West Ham appearances before being sent out on loan to West Bromwich Albion.
The Baggies are now being backed to purchase the promising forward in the summer and West Ham accepting any offer would raise doubt in the Irons academy of their chances of making it at the club.
