West Ham United are now in talks over a deal for a “spectacular” midfielder, and they are leading their Premier League rivals in the race for his signature, according to a report.
West Ham set sights on midfielder amid Paqueta uncertainty
Lucas Paqueta has been one of West Ham’s key players over the past three seasons, picking up 18 goals and 14 assists during his time at the London Stadium, but it now appears as though the attacking midfielder could seek pastures new this summer.
Indeed, Paqueta now wants to leave the Hammers, amid interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia and Brazil, and the board are willing to cash-in, should they receive an offer in the region of £30m.
As such, Graham Potter‘s side have now set their sights on a new attacking midfielder to replace the 27-year-old, with targets being identified from the Belgian Pro League and within the Premier League.
Not only are the Irons keen on an attacking option, but they have also made progress in their pursuit of Borussia Monchengladbach defensive midfielder Rocco Reitz, according to a report from TEAMtalk.
The report states that talks over a deal for Reitz are now underway, with the Monchengladbach ace expected to leave in this window, given that the £17m release clause in his contract is set to become active next summer.
Related
Everton in race with West Ham to sign midfielder who can leave for £25m
Everton are now involved in a Premier League race to sign an experienced international midfielder.
The German side don’t want to lose the midfielder for such a low fee, and a transfer battle, which may drive up the price, could be on the cards this summer, with the likes of Brighton, Fulham and Inter Milan also keen.
A number of bids are now expected imminently, and the Hammers should be well-placed to win the race for the 23-year-old’s signature, given that they are thought to be ahead of their Premier League rivals.
Reitz could be “spectacular” signing for West Ham
England were ultimately triumphant in the U21 European Championships, defeating Germany 3-2 in the final, but the Monchengladbach gem impressed throughout the tournament, picking up two assists in five matches.
Not only that, but the German has flourished defensively over the past year, placing very highly across a number of key metrics, when compared to his positional peers.
|
Average per 90 |
|
|
Interceptions |
2.61 (99th percentile) |
|
Blocks |
1.92 (95th percentile) |
|
Clearances |
2.90 (96th percentile) |
U23 scout Antonio Mango has also been left impressed by the maestro in the past, singling him out for praise after his Germany U21s debut.
As such, Reitz could be a fantastic signing for West Ham this summer, and it is promising news they are leading the race for his signature.
