West Ham United could rival Tottenham for Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba
Incoming West Ham chief Tim Steidten could target Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba during the summer transfer window, according to 90min.
It’s believed Tottenham are interested in a move for the Burkina Faso international, with Tapsoba’s representatives pushing for a move to North London (90min, 22 June).
The Hammers are set to appoint Steidten as sporting director. The German has previously worked with the 24-year-old and, unlike Spurs could offer the centre-back European football.
The connection to Steidten and the prospect of European football could give the Hammers the edge.
Quality
Tapsoba would be a quality addition for the Hammers.
The 24-year-old has a big reputation in Germany and is probably due to a Premier League move. Tottenham’s interest will be hard to compete with, but we’ve seen Daniel Levy’s lowball transfer attempts often fall foul at times.
Another thing to consider is do West Ham actually need another central defender. Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma have proven to be an excellent partnership during the 2022/23 season – and Thilo Kehrer has filled in adequately when required.
A big summer is undoubtedly on the cards at the London Stadium. Declan Rice’s departure is now looking like a formality. With Manchester City now entering the race for the 24-year-old, the board’s desire for a bidding war has come to fruition.
If David Sullivan can land over £100million for the England international, he will be extremely happy. If a large part of that sum is given to David Moyes during the summer, there will be plenty of reason to be excited heading into the new season.