Denis Zakaria would welcome London return with West Ham as loan-to-buy update emerges
Denis Zakaria would welcome a return to London with West Ham who are interested in striking a loan deal including a purchase option with Juventus, according to Standard Sport.
Standard reporter Nizaar Kinsella wrote that Hammers officials met Juve representatives on Thursday (6 July) to discuss the deal.
West Ham are said to want to sign Zakaria on loan and include a £16million purchase option, a move that would allow them to sign a second midfielder as they look to strengthen their engine room with Declan Rice closing on a £105m move to Arsenal.
Zakaria spent last term on loan at Chelsea where he was used scarcely, making just six starts and 13 appearances in total.
However, the Standard report says Zakaria would want to return to the English capital with the Hammers.
A solid addition
It did not quite work out for Denis Zakaria at Stamford Bridge last season but he always performed admirably when called upon by the Blues.
One thing is for certain, he has little future in Turin with Juventus and a move is going to happen – it just remains to be seen if that will be with West Ham.
From the Hammers’ point of view, it is a move that would make perfect sense. Rice is on his way out and the Hammers need quality reinforcements to account for his departure.
If they can thrash out a deal that sees Zakaria join on loan and add in a purchase option, it would suit West Ham financially and mean they can look to direct much of the windfall from Rice’s sale on a new striker to replace Gianluca Scamacca who looks certain to return to Serie A.
There is a lot of movement left in this window for the Hammers.
In other West Ham news, Gianluca Scamacca’s future is up in the air after a loan move was blocked.