West Ham are now eyeing a move for an “exceptional” £16m midfielder in the summer transfer window, according to an on-air claim by talksPORT reporter Alex Crook.
West Ham transfer news
The Hammers are still keen on bringing in further fresh faces between now and the start of the new Premier League season, and talks with Borussia Dortmund striker Niclas Fullkrug are reportedly at an advanced stage. The 31-year-old’s stock has risen in recent times and Julen Lopetegui could see him as an ideal addition to lead the line.
Corinthians attacking ace Yuri Alberto has also been linked with a move to east London, being looked at as a possible alternative to the Dortmund hero. The 23-year-old has won one cap for Brazil to date and will hope to add to that tally, and could represent a younger option than Fullkrug. They even agreed terms with him last summer, showing that he has been a long-term target for West Ham.
Sergi Roberto has also emerged as an audacious target for the Hammers, with the Spaniard a free agent after bringing an end to his long and successful spell at Barcelona. At 32, he isn’t getting any younger, but he has a wealth of experience and knows how to win trophies, scooping seven La Liga titles and tasting Champions League glory twice at the Camp Nou.
Leeds United star Crysencio Summerville looks to be edging closer to sealing a switch to West Ham all the time, and he could be joined by Richard Rios, who is considered a great option in the middle of the park. He has impressed for Palmeiras in Brazil, but could be tempted by a move to the Premier League.
West Ham eyeing “exceptional” midfielder
Speaking on talkSPORT on Friday [via The Boot Room], Crook claimed he’s heard that West Ham could be interested in signing Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo this summer, with his future at Anfield up in the air:
“I have had a message and one name that has been mentioned to me is Endo, from Liverpool. So I’ll have to check out what’s happening with that one.”
It looks as though Endo, signed for £16m, could be an expendable figure under new Liverpool manager Arne Slot, even though a £14m bid from Marseille has been rejected, and he could be a solid addition for West Ham, rather than a spectacular one.
Jurgen Klopp was a big fan of the 31-year-old during their one season together on Merseyside, with the German saying of him: “He’s a machine. He is footballing-wise exceptional. His defensive brain is outstanding. He gives us a lot of freedom for a lot of things. Yeah, top development. Very helpful, very helpful.”
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The update comes courtesy of a reliable journalist.
Granted, Endo is ageing and hasn’t arguably set the world alight at Liverpool, but he is still a tenacious midfield presence with lots of character, averaging 1.7 tackles per game in the Premier League last season, as well as committing the same number of fouls per match.
