Las Palmas confirm Jonathan Calleri interest as West Ham exit edges closer

West Ham out-of-favour player Jonathan Calleri looks ready to end his Hammers' nightmare after UD Las Palmas boss Quique Setien confirmed they are trying to lure the player to La Liga during the current transfer window. Setien said the deal is not done yet but reports in Spain believe it could be official in a matter of hours.

Calleri, 23, agreed a loan move to West Ham from Uruguayan outfit Deportivo Maldonado during last summer's transfer window after garnering a big reputation in South America. Yet, he was top scorer in the Copa Libertadores for Brazilian side Sao Paulo and represented Argentina in the Rio Olympics.

However, the Argentinian forward has failed to replicate the same form in the Premier League, having seen his first-team appearances under Bilic curtailed.

The Croatian boss recently suggested he could still have a chance to prove himself in the second part of the season but reports in Spain claim he is poised to join Las Palmas alongside his Deportivo Maldonado teammate Hernán Toledo.

Local publication Canarias 7 claimed on Monday morning that both players are expected to land in the Canary Island in the coming hours in order to complete their loan arrivals from Deportivo Maldonado until the end of the season, having respectively struggled at West Ham and Fiorentina during the first part of the campaign.

Las Palmas boss later added that both deals are not done yet but did confirm that negotiations were ongoing as he is keen to secure their services ahead of the second part of the season.

"We already wanted Calleri and Hernán Toledo last summer. They have not played much until now in their teams (West Ham and Fiorentina) and we have to take advantage of the opportunities because this club cannot pay money for players. Let's see if we have the chance to rehabilitate them as we have done with other players," Setien said in the press conference as quoted by Canarias 7. "There are talks but the club have not told me that the deals are done yet. They will be good reinforcements to keep growing if they are confirmed. Both are close to the profile I'am looking for. Calleri is an interesting striker and Hernan has some good characteristics."

Last week Bilic confirmed Simone Zaza exit from West Ham during the current January transfer window after the Italian forward struggled to make the impact expected after his summer arrival from Juventus.

Sofiane Feghouli has also attracted the attention of AS Roma while the Hammers have been linked with a number of forwards, including Brentford star Scott Hogan, as Bilic is determined to revamp his squad following the disappointing start to the season.