West Ham United transfer news as Le Harve now braced for 11th-hour Etienne Kinkoe battle as Eintracht Frankfurt join race
West Ham now face competition with Eintracht Frankfurt to sign Le Harve defender Etienne Kinkoe ahead of Thursday’s deadline, according to the Daily Mail.
The UK news outlet shared (30 January) that the Hammers are showing a late interest in the £10m-rated centre-back but Frankfurt and Red Bull Salzburg are also keen on the 22-year-old talent.
It is reported that Le Harve are now braced for 11th-hour bids to hold onto the player who has impressed in a memorable campaign for the club, currently sitting mid-table in Ligue 1.
One to watch
David Ornstein shared on 24 January that the club were making enquiries for a mystery “versatile” defender on loan and Kinkoue certainly looks to be in that ilk.
There is no doubt that Kinkoue is a hot prospect right now and one which ideally the Hammers should be targeting given their centre-back options are in need of some fresh legs and youth.
Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd are consistently being linked with an exit away from the club which means they won’t be around for much longer, while Angelo Ogbonna is ageing now and is on a downward trajectory.
Konstantinos Mavropanos has endured a mixed start to life in East London which means David Moyes and recruitment director Tim Steidten will certainly be open for defensive additions.
Kinkoue certainly represents a smart deal for the Hammers and one which they should be working on but right now signing a defender may not be the priority in East London, but the appeal is there.
Kinkoue is highly regarded within France and considered one of the leading prospects in a club known for unearthing some of the best talents the footballing world has seen over the last 15 years.
Moyes and Steidten should be placing all their eggs in the attacking basket right now but if there is still room to do a deal for Kinkoue and probably bring him in for next season, then the opportunity is there.
In other West Ham news, Pablo Fornals could confirm permanent exit in ‘next few hours’, personal terms a ‘formality’.
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