Dan Carter

Mon 1 January 2024 8:40, UK

Thilo Kehrer is expected to complete his West Ham United exit “very soon” as Monaco are confident of securing his signature, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The transfer specialist reported on Twitter (1 January) that the Ligue 1 giants are expecting to finalise the deal quickly as negotiations are already in their final stages to allow the German defender to depart the London Stadium.

Kehrer has had plenty of interest from clubs across Europe with Roma, AC Milan and Atalanta all considering the 27-year-old, but Monaco appear to have won the race for his services as negotiations enter their final stages.

The terms of the transfer aren’t yet known but reports have suggested that Kehrer will join the Ligue 1 side on an initial loan deal, which could then become a permanent switch during the summer transfer window [Claret & Hugh, 31 December].

Nearly completed

It has been clear for some time that the Kehrer was going to be set to depart the London Stadium, but after plenty of speculation, it finally appears that a move away is set to be completed sooner rather than later.

David Moyes has not been particularly keen to use the German defender so far this season, with Kehrer restricted to starts in the Europa League and cameos from the bench in the Premier League having fallen down the pecking order after the signing of Konstantinos Mavropanos.

It was never going to be hard for the Hammers to move the 27-year-old on this January considering the sheer amount of interest in him from European teams before the window had even opened, but it is good that this deal has been completed so early in January.

While it looks like this will initially be a loan switch, it’s another wage off of the books at the London Stadium that could well help the Hammers and Moyes free up some cash to add to their squad before the month is out.

In other West Ham news, the Hammers are reportedly ready to let Callum Marshall depart on loan during the January window