Paul Brown: West Ham United will 100% buy defender amid Attila Szalai link
West Ham United will definitely sign a new defender before the end of the window, as per Paul Brown.
The Daily Star journalist has also suggested to Give Me Sport (10 August) that Attila Szalai is a “powerful” defender and he would be a good signing for the Hammers.
Turkish journalist Omer Celikbasli reported on 9 August that the Hammers have finally submitted a £10 million bid to sign the Fenerbahce defender.
“They will 100% buy a defender before the window closes, I don’t think they have much choice,” said Brown to Give Me Sport.
“It’s interesting they’ve gone for someone like Attila Szalai, the Hungarian centre-back, he’s big, powerful, really strong; I like the look of him. I think he’d fit in quite well at West Ham; he looks like a good kind of Moyes defender.”
Plenty of options
West Ham have already brought in Nayef Aguerd from Stade Rennais this summer, but his injury has forced the club into looking for other options.
The Hungary international is a big defender and can play on the left-side of a back four, and would be a good option for the Hammers.
The 24-year-old is available at a reasonable price, and he’s got his best years ahead of him. It is expected that he will only get better with time.
Having said that, it seems that West Ham are working on other options as well.
Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg reported on 10 August that the Hammers have a “good chance” to sign Paris Saint-Germain defender Thilo Kehrer and they have already submitted an offer.
It will be interesting to see if West Ham are aiming to sign more than one centre-back here, as they can look for long-term replacement for Angelo Ogbonna and Craig Dawson.
Meanwhile, Issa Diop has left the club to join Fulham, so Moyes can afford to bring in both Kehrer and Szalai this summer.