West Ham now want to sign £21m man who said he dreams of playing for the Hammers unfortunately…
West Ham are now keen to sign a player who already has experience of playing in the Premier League.
Despite the signing of Max Kilman, Julen Lopetegui is still on the lookout for another new central defender, amid doubts over the future of Nayef Aguerd at the London Stadium.
Now, West Ham have set their sights on a player who Wolves actually want to replace the £40m Kilman…
A story from Foot Mercato now claims that West Ham are keen to sign Kevin Danso.
The French news outlet believe Wolves are also hoping to secure the Austria international’s signature this summer after losing Kilman to the Hammers.
Foot Mercato state that Lens are reluctant to sell Danso, but are willing to sanction an exit for a fee in the region of €25m (£21m) – with UEFA Europa League winners Atalanta also interested in the central defender, along with Napoli.
West Ham fans may recognise the Austrian’s name, as he actually made six Premier League appearances while on loan at Southampton back in the 2019/20 campaign – however, a permanent deal was never explored, and the man from Voitsberg has since developed into a top defender with Lens, helping the French side qualify for the UEFA Champions League in the 2022/23 season.
Bayern Munich have also recently looked at signing Danso – which emphasises just how high his star has risen since he left Southampton.
£21m deal could prove to be a bargain
West Ham could secure themselves a bargain if Tim Steidten – Director of Football at the London Stadium – can sign Danso for around £21m.
The 25-year-old is a superb modern day defender who boasts immense pace, even hitting a top speed of 21 miles per hour during his time in the Bundesliga, which will allow Lopetegui to adopt a higher defensive line.
While Danso – who said he dreamed of playing for Arsenal as a child – was starring for Augsburg, the Bundesliga’s official website even likened him to Chelsea and France legend Marcel Desailly, mentioning their comparable “size, speed, position” and also their excellent passing qualities.
Be sure to keep an eye on this situation, as West Ham battle against Wolves, Atalanta and Napoli to sign the Lens No.4 this summer.
However, attempts for West Ham to sign a number of other players – such as Mazraoui, Fabricio Bruno, and Jean-Clair Todibo – have proven unsuccessful.
An agreement was reportedly reached between the Hammers and Bayern Munich for Mazraoui, but talks then collapsed on the player’s side.
West Ham are now looking at alternatives, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka of Manchester United said to be back on their radar.
