Report: West Ham agree deal to sign Brian Kinnear ahead of Birmingham City
West Ham have reportedly agreed a deal to sign free agent and goalkeeper Brian Kinnear this summer.
According to The Daily Record (21:09 update on 24/07), the former Rangers goalkeeper was poised to sign for Birmingham, but the Hammers hijacked the West Midlands club’s move to finalise a deal for the 20-year-old themselves.
The Scotland youth international was one of many prospects shown the door at Ibrox at the end of last season, and West Ham have capitalised on it to add a talented young goalkeeper to their ranks.
Need a first-team backup
The 20-year-old spent some time on trial at Birmingham where he impressed the Blues and looked set to join them permanently.
However, he did not put pen to paper to a contract and then underwent a similar trial for David Moyes at West Ham, and did well, which led to him snubbing a move to the Championship and joining us.
Kinnear did make the headlines a few months ago for the wrong reasons as he was one of five players suspended by Rangers for breaching Covid rules.
We’re hoping that his discipline does not cause us too many issues in the future, but his imminent arrival should not mean that we end our quest to sign a backup or possible long-term replacement for Lukasz Fabianski.
We’ve been linked to Alphonse Areola and Sam Johnstone – both of whom are solid goalkeepers and could look to take over from Fabianski in the foreseeable future.
Our current number one is already 36, and possibly has only one more season left as the first choice.
It would be wise for the decision makers at the London Stadium to sign a replacement now before having to overpay for one next summer.
In other West Ham news, ExWHUEmployee delivers significant update on Jesse Lingard & Matheus Pereira potential transfers
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