WHZ View: West Ham should be encouraged as Schalke reject Thiaw offer
West Ham United have a new lead in their bid to sign Schalke defender Malick Thiaw as the German club have rejected a bid from AC Milan.
According to La Gazzetta in Italy, the Serie A title challengers offered the Bundesliga 2. club £5million for the 20-year-old but Schalke want closer to £8million.
Thiaw is an academy product of Schalke who have a long history of producing top talent and this player is no different, having played for Germany Under-21s.
The Hammers have only recently entered the race for the highly-rated defender [Sport1] but they could make a big statement in the closing days of the January transfer window.
David Moyes has made no secret of his desire to sign a central defender to help cover the long term injury of Angelo Ogbonna but until recently, Thiaw hadn’t been considered an option.
But he would be the ideal man to bring in compared to the alternative options being thrown about such as Duje Caleta-Car, Nathaniel Phillips and Joe Worrall.
Unlike those mentioned above, Thiaw has lots of time on his side and likely wouldn’t demand games as soon as he arrives in London.
The German would most probably be content as a backup this season before maybe earning a loan for 2022-23.
He could then become an integral part of the West Ham defence as his youthful exuberance wears off.
Moyes should be looking at the future for his current cover as Kurt Zouma, Craig Dawson and Issa Diop have nailed down the centre half birth at the moment.
In other West Ham news, the club will have to pay £14milion for this EFL star compared to Eden Hazard.