West Ham United are looking to reinforce their midfield this summer and are assessing the available options in the market. Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on their pursuit of their prime target, after they had a bid rejected for the player recently. Another club has entered the race which puts pressure on the Irons to make the next move.
West Ham’s Midfield Pursuit
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Monaco Submit Bid
Denis Zakaria, the Hammers’ top midfield target was on the radar of AS Monaco, and according to Romano, the Ligue 1 side have submitted their first bid for the defensive midfielder. This comes as another blow to David Moyes’ side after their initial bid for the Swiss international was rejected by Juventus earlier in July.
The midfielder’s style of play has caused some to dub him a “midfield powerhouse” due to his role in breaking up attacks.
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The Conference League holders have a crucial decision to make, whether they want to submit an improved bid or not. They should move fast if they want to secure the services of the former Chelsea player, especially with Monaco entering the picture.
Zakaria’s Connection With Adolf Hutter
The Hammers’ pursuit of the robust midfielder has received another blow with Monaco’s official bid. As reported by Romano, the player is yet to make a decision and is ‘still assessing his options’. The new manager for the Italian side, Adi Hutter, could further complicate the London club’s intentions of bringing Zakaria to England.
Hutter knows the player well, as they have previously worked together at German club Eintracht Frankfurt, where the new Monaco boss played a vital role in the development of the Juventus midfielder. This poses an ‘interesting option’ for the 26-year-old in deciding his next destination.
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The transfer market expert wrote in his exclusive column that: “Monaco want Zakaria, they have submitted their first bid for the player. It’s now up to West Ham if they want to bid again after initial proposal was rejected by Juventus 15 days ago. Zakaria is still assessing his options, and Monaco could be an interesting option for him as their new manager Adi Hutter knows him well”
Other Targets for the Hammers
The London Stadium-based outfit are targeting other midfielders as well as the Swiss international. Their dream target to bolster the midfield is Joao Palhinha, the formidable anchor from Fulham. Despite being their dream acquisition, securing the Portuguese player’s services appears to be a challenging and potentially expensive deal to pull off. James Ward-Prowse, Southampton’s set-piece specialist and Manchester United’s midfielder Scott McTominay are also on their watch list.
The Ajax defensive midfielder, Edson Alavarez is also one of the names being discussed but is not a priority according to Romano. The Italian journalist wrote “James Ward-Prowse is on their list, and Scott McTominay too. Edson Alvarez is also appreciated but is not considered a priority now, as far as I understand. West Ham’s dream target in midfield is Fulham’s Joao Palhinha, but that looks like being a very expensive deal”
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