West Ham United want to sign Evan Ndicka for free in summer of 2023
West Ham United have targeted Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka as a potential free transfer signing, according to Jeunes Footeux.
The 23-year-old played against the Hammers last season as they reached the Europa League final, which they went on to win, but his contract is up with the Bundesliga side this summer.
David Moyes has made the Frenchman one of his highest priorities for future signings but would prefer to sign him for free rather than spend money on him in January.
But he could move before his contract ends with Sevilla keen on splashing what could be £13.1million on Ndicka in the January transfer window with the player reluctant to sign an extension in Frankfurt.
Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning French champions, may consider a bid for the 23-year-old too if they fail to sign Inter Milan centre-half Milan Skriniar.
Pay up
If Moyes really wants Ndicka in his squad then he should have no qualms about parting with £13.1million to get it done in January rather than take the massive risk of leaving him for someone else to sign.
Craig Dawson could well be on his way in the winter window if his desire to be closer to his family remains from the summer and he will need to be replaced.
Ndicka would come in as the youngest of the senior central defenders and be able to learn from Kurt Zouma, a fellow Frenchman, and develop into a top-class Premier League defender.
But that will only happen if they put their money where their mouth is and don’t chicken out of a deal in the hope they could save a few quid in the summer.
The opportunity will disappear rapidly if they hang around and don’t make a decisive move one way or the other and Moyes has been burned before with a dilly-dallying January so should not stand for it again.