Bayer Leverkusen want to sign West Ham United defender Vladimir Coufal – Sky Sports
Bayer Leverkusen are keen to sign West Ham United right-back Vladimir Coufal in the January transfer window, according to Sky Deutschland.
The report states that Leverkusen officials will travel to London at the end of this week to broker a deal for the 30-year-old defender, who has fallen out of place under David Moyes this season.
The Czech Republic international was brought by West Ham in October 2020 for a modest fee of £4million, and remains under contract with the Londoners until 2023, meaning a “lavish fee” will need to be produced for the deal to be struck.
Coufal, who has only made two appearances in West Ham’s last seven games, is held in high regard by Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, who is allegedly not convinced by his current left-back Timothy Fosu-Mensah.
Time to sell
If the right offer comes in for Coufal, West Ham should take the opportunity to move him on with open arms.
After picking him up for just £4million, Coufal has more than repaid his price tag, becoming a staple in Moyes’ side throughout the 2020-2021 season, constantly holding the trickiest of wingers at bay. However, the legs have just started to go.
Following a groin injury picked up in September 2021, the defender has never quite been the same since and has hardly featured in Moyes’ struggling side this season.
If Moyes can move Coufal on and get him off the wage bill, it opens up the opportunity to strengthen at the back during the January transfer window, with Ben Johnson and Thilo Kehrer having had to fill in at right-back for most of the season.
A fond farewell should lie in store for the Czech stalwart, who has cemented himself as a fan favourite during his time at the London club.
In other news, 55-year-old will likely find West Ham job ‘hugely tempting’ after mega PL development