West Ham United loan bid for Michael Keane rejected by Everton
West Ham United have had a season-long loan bid for Everton defender Michael Keane rejected by the Merseyside club, according to The Sun.
The Irons are searching for a central defender after selling Frenchman Issa Diop to Premier League rivals Fulham earlier in the week and injuries to Craig Dawson and Nayef Aguerd.
But it is the same problem at Goodison Park as both Ben Godfrey and Yerry Mina were forced off during their 1-0 defeat at home to Chelsea and now Keane is needed as cover by Frank Lampard.
This is the second time the Toffees have turned down an approach for Keane on loan this summer but the Hammers are not giving up yet.
David Moyes would like to see a new centre-half arrive at the London Stadium to avoid having to play Ben Johnson in the middle as they had to against Manchester City on the opening day of the season.
Avoid
Someone at Rush Green must have thought that perhaps signing a player who nearly got relegated last season might not be the smartest move the club could make when they are challenging for European football.
It was even as if Keane was the standout performer who single-handedly kept Everton up either. He was just another player who failed to perform for the majority of the campaign.
Why would West Ham want to make that signing no matter how much they might need a centre-half when they could sign so many better players that are equally available?
It’s time that the attention turned away from players who wouldn’t get on the London Stadium bench under normal circumstances and to someone who could be a mainstay at the back for years to come.
Moyes could always just tough it out with Johnson while Dawson and Aguerd regain their fitness or even give a youngster from the academy a chance but he seems to think throwing cash about is the answer.