West Ham have launched a cunning plan to win the race for one of the most coveted free agents of the summer transfer window.
Tim Steidten has stated he feels building a new-look West Ham will be a five-year project.
It is a project that started exceedingly well with his brilliant deals to sign Mohammed Kudus, Edson Alvarez and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
After a quiet January, the West Ham know they have a busy summer window ahead. Especially with six players set to leave on free transfers as things stand.
Key to West Ham’s summer business will be value for money, age and homegrown status.
Steidten will have money to spend a source close to the owners told Hammers News recently.
Defensive changing of the guard looms at West Ham
And that kitty is expected to be further boosted by the anticipated sale of Lucas Paqueta for around £85m to Man City.
West Ham need a host of signings in multiple positions across the squad.
But centre-back is an area which requires serious attention.
Captain Kurt Zouma is great when fit and firing. But he has issues with his knees and is restricted to the number of games he can play close together.
Nayef Aguerd has been really poor and is up for sale this summer.
Ageing Angelo Ogbonna is arguably West Ham’s best and most reliable defender for years. But he barely features now and is expected to depart at the end of the campaign.
And Thilo Kehrer has been shipped out to Monaco where he will soon trigger a permanent move.
Mavropanos has looked like the real deal of late. So a big focus for Steidten and the manager this summer will be to find him a new partner.
Well it seems West Ham have the man they want in their sights. But so do a host of rival clubs.
Hammers have cunning plan to win race for coveted free agent
The Hammers are once again being heavily linked with brilliant Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo.
Back in February, we reported on claims that West Ham have the 26-year-old former Man City youngster lined up as their first summer signing.
Since then the likes of Spurs, Liverpool and AC Milan have also been linked.
But a new report claims West Ham have cunning plan to win the race for one of the most coveted free agents of the summer.
According to TeamTalk, West Ham plan to beat the competition by giving Adarabioyo big wages and a long contract.
And the report states West Ham’s ace card over the others is guaranteed game time given the defensive changing of the guard taking place at the London Stadium this summer.
Adarabioyo ticks so many boxes for the Hammers. At 26, he should have his best years ahead of him.
He ticks the homegrown status box and best of the lot, will not eat into the club’s summer transfer budget as a free signing.
Adarabioyo ticks so many boxes for West Ham
Given that free agent status, the Fulham star could actually sign for West Ham as early as June 14th – when the summer window opens for domestic moves. But he wouldn’t officially become a Hammers player until July 1st after the expiration of his Cottagers deal.
Just as West Ham have found their Craig Dawson replacement in the shape of Mavropanos, the issue of a long-term partner has reared its head.
Well Adarabioyo solves that problem and it would give the Hammers three top centre-backs to choose from.
This would be a very clever and diligent signing by West Ham. And he is a player who would need very little time to settle into his surroundings as he’s already in London.
A no-brainer if ever there was one.