West Ham ready Stefan Ortega transfer as Alphonse Areola expectation shared – Exclusive
Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega is a player of interest to the Irons, West Ham Zone understands.
Adama Traore’s arrival was announced on Wednesday, with the Hammer having now signed three players in the winter window.
However, Nuno Espirito Santo is still eyeing more reinforcements, with a new goalkeeper on their radar before the deadline on 2 February.
With Alphonse Areola linked with an exit from the London Stadium, the Hammers have had to identify potential replacements, and Ortega is believed to be one of them.
Stefan Ortega could leave Man City this week
West Ham have already been offered the chance to sign Ortega earlier in the window, and West Ham Zone understands that the Hammers are now set to pursue that deal if a move for Antonin Kinsky falters.
Areola’s move to Besiktas is gaining traction, and the expectation is that his exit could be announced within days if Ortega or Kinsky showcases a willingness to move to the London Stadium.
The German shotstopper has been forced to settle for a backup role at Man City for the last few years, but has always shown that he is more than capable whenever he has been asked to step in.
Now, with James Trafford as the deputy to Gianluigi Donnarumma, the need for the German to remain at the Etihad has diminished.
As things stand, a deal for Kinsky is still seen as the most likely of the two, but the Hammers are exploring several options in case of any late changes.
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Ortega would bring something to West Ham that Areola couldn’t
Areola has generally been reliable at West Ham, but the one thing he has always struggled with is his distribution, and that has proven costly from time to time.
In fact, the Frenchman’s passing stats are actually the worst in the Premier League this season, with just 46.5 per cent of his attempted passes finding a West Ham teammate.
In comparison, Ortega completed 79.4 per cent of his passes for Man City last season in the Premier League, though he had a slightly lower save percentage.
That was again the case in the FA Cup, when the German completed 82 per cent of his passes, but managed to save just 62.5 per cent of the shots faced.
Depending on the finances involved in a deal, however, it could be a trade-off that is worth taking this winter.
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