West Ham get instant response as £6m bid launched for third January signing
West Ham have had an opening bid rejected for a new midfield signing.
Unless things improve drastically under Nuno Espirito Santo, West Ham will be playing Championship football next season.
Results have been woeful, and performances have been even worse, with plenty of business still to be done in January to try and rectify that.
Following the arrival of Taty Castellanos and Pablo, the Hammers have now turned their attention to midfield reinforcements, with a bid made for a Ligue 1 star.
West Ham want to sign Ligue 1 starlet
A lack of options in midfield has been a big concern for Nuno, and with James Ward-Prowse seemingly having no future at West Ham and George Earthy having returned to Bristol City, those options have become even more stretched.
As a result, the Irons have set their sights on a highly rated prospect from Ligue 1 in Alpha Toure, with L’Equipe reporting that they have had a £6million bid rejected.
The 19-year-old has featured regularly for FC Metz this season, with seven starts in the league and 18 appearances in total across all senior competitions.
West Ham’s proposal was rejected immediately by Metz’s sporting director, Frederic Arpinon, with it yet to be known if they will come back in with an improved offer, though it is claimed that the Irons are willing to pay up to £10m this January.
Alpha Toure has already spoken out on his future
Given his age and the fact that he is already a regular in France’s top-tier, it comes as no surprise that Toure has caught the eye of West Ham.
He’s a combative midfielder who has a neat eye for a pass, which is something that the Hammers have lacked for several years now, and that will only be amplified further if Guido Rodriguez leaves the club.
However, Toure refused to get caught up in speculation regarding his future, with a clear focus on continuing his performances with Metz.
The 19-year-old said: “I’m focused on my game, and I’m letting my agent handle it.”
Toure is under contract until the summer of 2028, meaning Metz are under no pressure to sell, but if West Ham improve their offer, talks may progress.
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