West Ham United talks for Thilo Kehrer go well, player decision now due based on key factor
West Ham negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain for Thilo Kehrer are seen as positive on both sides of the table, according to L’Equipe.
The Hammers made a second bid for the German international as they seek to replace Issa Diop and address their injury crisis in central defence.
It is reportedly an important move for PSG who want to bring in a new defender themselves, and with just a year left on his contract talks are continuing.
The player is now set to make a decision on his future, with the World Cup in the winter his main concern.
The 25-year-old is open to a move, but with 20 international caps to his name he wants to ensure he can secure a place in the Germany squad come November, so he is now weighing up whether West Ham can give him that opportunity.
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If Kehrer were to come in right now he would have a reasonable expectation of slotting straight into the starting line up alongside Kurt Zouma.
Craig Dawson is an injury doubt, and Angelo Ogbonna has still not completed his long road back from ACL surgery, while Nayef Aguerd’s own operation after picking up a problem in the preseason is the whole reason this deal is necessary.
However, when everyone is fit there will be a question to ask as to who tops who in the pecking order, since the Moroccan arrival is a big-money signing this summer, just as Zouma was the same from Chelsea last year.
That would logically put them both in pole position to start, but a 25-year-old German international arriving from the French champions would give David Moyes a decision to make.
Kehrer was in the squad for three of the European giants’ Nations League games this summer, starting once in a three, but is behind Antonio Rudiger and Niklas Sule in a four.
If he is able to come in quickly and get a few games under his belt while others are struggling to get back to full fitness then he would have a decent shout at establishing himself for a run in the early part of the season.
That would surely be enough to land him a place in the World Cup squad since Aguerd isn’t likely to be back until not long before the tournament kicks off.
So if talks over this deal are going well between the clubs it looks like one that can be done before the window shuts if the player reaches the same conclusion, although if the manager brings in more than one at the position then somebody is going to end up the odd man out like Diop was.