Nottingham Forest respond as West Ham United submit player-plus-cash bid for Neco Williams
West Ham have seen a bid for Neco Williams rejected by Nottingham Forest, according to HITC.
The online source reported [25 July] that the Hammers made a player-plus-cash offer for the Welsh international earlier in the window, with the hope of bolstering the right-back position.
It is understood that Forest dismissed the offer from the London Stadium, insisting the 23-year-old is not for sale despite being seen as an ideal fit for Julen Lopetegui’s side.
West Ham United have Neco Williams bid rejected by Nottingham Forest
The right-back position looks to be an area of concern for the new Hammers manager this summer, with Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters and Manchester United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka being targeted [Dharmesh Sheth].
Bayern Munich’s Noussair Mazraoui is also of interest to the Irons, with the Moroccan international open to a Premier League move, though a loan deal has been ruled out already [Florian Plettenberg].
Given the number of links to the right-back spot, it would not be surprising to see the club submit a second offer for the Wales international, especially if they cannot strike a deal for an alternative signing.
The full-back already has 38 international caps to his name, becoming an essential part of Rob Page’s squads at Euro 2020 and the Qatar World Cup, even scoring four goals during that time.
Williams was never able to make a proper breakthrough at Liverpool, where he came through the club’s academy, before sealing a permanent move to The City Ground in July 2022.
Since then, he has prompted a lot of interest from fellow Premier League sides due to his outstanding performances for club and country, but Forest will not be willing to let him go easily.
Depending on which player the Hammers decided to involve in the negotiations, they may need to use a higher-value asset to complete a deal, with multiple of their own players being linked with exits.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers have responded after Julen Lopetegui was informed of two loan bids for Andy Irving.
For more West Ham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.