West Ham United prepare improved bid for Amadou Onana with Premier League rivals lurking
West Ham are getting ready to make a new bid for Lille’s Amadou Onana after the capture of Flynn Downes, according to Ignazio Genuardi.
The Hammers had an original offer of around £20million rejected for the midfielder who is attracting heavy interest.
Despite Downes’ arrival the squad is still thin in central areas, and Tomas Soucek could leave yet this summer, so David Moyes needs further additions.
Journalist Genuardi, the former editor of Foot365 in France, wrote on his personal Twitter account on Friday evening (8 July) that after the arrival of the Swansea man the Irons were still “in particular search of another central midfielder”.]
Therefore a new offer is “scheduled” for Lille with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle all interested in the 20-year-old.
In a follow-up he confirmed that the original offer had been for just over €20million for a player who ExWHUemployee said on the 4 July West Ham Way podcast that the club may be willing to go as far as €45million for.
Time is of the essence
With English heavyweights in play such as the ones mentioned then the pressure is on any interested party to get a deal done for Onana.
Nottingham Forest are also monitoring the situation, and Eurosport France’s Sacha Tavolieri claims there have also been offers from Everton and Leicester, with Monaco wanting him badly as well.
Moyes looks to be at the front of the queue with a first bid already made, and if the club can get an improved one sent across with haste it will make their intentions very clear to the player.
The youngster has considerable height, variously listed at either six foot four or five, so would replace the size that could be lost if Soucek leaves.
He has only had one full season in the fop flight of a European league, but his exploits in Ligue 1 and the Champions League in 2021/22 earned him a senior debut in Roberto Martinez’s Belgium side.
Onana has clearly caught the attention of numerous teams around Europe and at his age if the Irons can get him in this summer he would be part of a very strong triumvirate of West Ham youngsters at that position, alongside Downes and star man Declan Rice, both 23.