West Ham to watch Dundalk star Horgan

Premier League side West Ham will send a scout to watch Dundalk winger Daryl Horgan in Thursday's Europa League game against AZ Alkmaar.

Scottish Premier League side Rangers are also keen on signing Horgan and his Dundalk team-mate Andy Boyle, the Irish Independent report, while Championship teams Preston and Barnsley are also interested.

League One side Bolton Wanderers have reportedly already made an offer for defender Boyle, while Horgan is out of contract and will be available on a free transfer.

Speaking ahead of the game at the Tallaght Stadium, which will be shown live and free to air on eirSport 1 (KO Thursday, 20.05), Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny says the Lilywhites need results from their last two Group D matches at home to Alkmaar and away to Maccabi Tel-Aviv in two weeks' time to qualify for the knock-out stages.

Zenit St Petersburg have already qualified to the last 32 with four wins from their four matches, while Dundalk lie second and Maccabi third on four points, with Alkmaar propping up the group on two points.

"We’ll know the Zenit result [from their match against Maccabi in St Petersburg on Thursday] before we kick-off on Thursday so that will give us a clear indication of what we need," Kenny told the Irish Mirror.

"I think we’ll need two results to qualify. Two draws could be enough if Zenit win, but we’re not thinking that way. It’s better for us to be positive and we’re going into the games to win."

Dane Massey and Robbie Benson should be fit to play against the Eredivisie side following calf and hamstring problems respectively, but Stephen O’Donnell (groin), Ronan Finn (pelvis) and Chris Shields (groin) are doubts.

"Chris Shields has trained just once since the Cup final after getting a bad reaction, and it’s still very much touch and go as to whether Stephen O’Donnell can train, while Ronan Finn is struggling too," Kenny continued.

"We hoped the injuries would have cleared up with some rest but it hasn’t been the case, and that’s not been ideal."

Photo (©Inpho/Ryan Byrne)

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