Dharmesh Sheth: West Ham United will make improved Hans Vanaken bid this week after Emerson deal
West Ham will send a new bid for Hans Vanaken this week as they look set to wrap up the signing of Emerson Palmieri, Dharmesh Sheth reports.
With agreement reached for the Chelsea defender and a medical commencing on Monday (22 August), the Hammers will turn their attentions to completing their chase for Club Brugge midfielder Vanaken after their first offer was rejected.
The 29-year-old is a long-term target for David Moyes, and after initial resistance a move looks to be on the cards with the player aware that it may be his last chance to make the step up out of the Jupiler Pro League [Eleven Sports].
The club’s first offer of €10million was apparently nowhere near enough, but to get the move done they are now due to send their upped bid in this week, as they look to complete a quick-fire double signing of Vanaken and Emerson.
Sky Sports reporter Sheth wrote on Twitter on Monday afternoon: “Emerson Palmieri expected to start West Ham United medical tonight after deal worth £15m agreed with Chelsea. Improved bid for Club Brugge midfielder Hans Vanaken to go in this week.”
Action
The start to the season has been anything but what the club envisaged when they were working on an active transfer window over the past three months, and they likely thought they would have had what they wanted done by now.
But the situation is what it is, three games in with no points on the board, and signings still to get done, so the club have to work hard over the final days of the window to put the manager in a position to have what he needs when it shuts.
Moyes’ men are already in a hole they need climb out of, but it is still early enough in the season that a significant improvement soon can allow them to chase the goals they had coming into the campaign.
Thilo Kehrer has been sourced to answer the sudden centre-back crisis, and Emerson looks to be the answer to push Aaron Cresswell that the manager has wanted for some time.
Some of the main misses this summer have been in midfield areas, with Jesse Lingard, Amadou Onana and Piotr Zielinski the names that stick out, and while Vanaken might not have the same profile he has some impressive numbers in Belgium.
Whether he can translate them over to the Premier League has to be a question, but if he can and this deal gets completed it would be a huge boost in the Irons’ output.
102 goals for the Belgian champions, with 73 assists, from his position makes it obvious why his current fans don’t want to see him go, but could be a big reason why his prospective new fans might end up delighted to see him arrive.