Premier League clubs who are in the race for Salzburg’s Patson Daka

He’s touted to be the next Sadio Mane or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – and Patson Daka could be on the move this month to the Premier League.

The 22-year-old Patson Daka is a robust forward in his fifth year with perennial Austrian champions Salzburg – but this campaign has seen him breakout to become one of the most coveted young forwards on the continent.

Tall and athletic, Daka is a natural finisher blessed with blistering pace to match, making for a lethal combination. Most encouragingly of all is his strike rate – he’s bagged an impressive 10 goals from only 14 games.

Now wanted by several top teams in Europe’s best leagues, the young Zambian international could make a spectacular January move to finally test himself in a more strenuous environment.

⚒ "West Ham are possibly not pursuing their interest in #AFCB's Josh King."

👍 "They are keen on is Patson Daka."

✅ "He's a 22-year old striker. This would be a replacement for Haller."@Alex_Crook says #WHUFC are keeping tabs on RB Salzburg's Patson Daka. pic.twitter.com/sWRCkA5NO3
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) January 11, 2021

More from Premier League

With the winter transfer window now open, reports from trusted sources indicate that the likes of Spurs, Liverpool, West Ham and Arsenal are all in the hunt for the Red Bull youngster.

Tottenham and West Ham, in particular, are on the lookout for a bench forward to be a backup to an established starting striker – Harry Kane for the former and the injury-prone Michail Antonio for the latter.

Unsurprisingly, it is the strikerless Irons who are most desperate to complete a deal for Daka – with Sebastian Haller’s recent transfer to Ajax leaving their already threadbare squad short of a recognised forward.

Rumours abound of an approach already having been made to Salzburg – but any deal is far off with this much interest, and the window still in its infancy.

"West Ham are being offered the chance to sign £25million-rated RB Salzburg striker Patson Daka as a replacement for Sebastien Haller.Daka, 22, has scored 10 goals in 14 games this season, including two in the Champions League, and the Zambian, whose agent is former West Ham and Tottenham striker Freddie Kanoute, is keen to move to the Premier League. (Via: The Mirror)"

What will it take to poach Daka from Salzburg?

January is – as any agent, club or pundit well tell you – a notoriously difficult time to buy well.

Clubs (especially those in title bids or relegation fights) are hesitant to let squad members go, and players are thrown into the deep end – with little time to adjust, having joined a new team mid-season.

With that in mind, the price being bandied around the media for Daka’s services is £25 million or thereabout – despite the Zambian forward’s relative inexperience.

This is not an insignificant fee in the COVID-hit player market, and clubs will give the matter serious thought before parting with that kind of cash for a backup forward.

If any of the London clubs were to press ahead with a deal, then both West Ham and Spurs will have the inside track on the opposition – since Daka’s agent is also Freddy Kanoute, a former player for both teams.

It remains to be seen, however, if a move will indeed materialise to the Premier League this window, given the finances in play. One thing is for sure – the league would be getting a striking phenom if Daka were to arrive on those shores.