West Ham United bid £13.5m to sign Attila Szalai as ‘astronomical’ transfer mooted
West Ham have tabled a bid worth £13.5million to sign Fenerbahce centre-back Attila Szalai, according to Sabah.
The Turkish newspaper reported via their print edition on Sunday (28 August, page 15) that Fenerbahce are waiting for “clarification” about the 24-year-old Hungary international’s situation before adding to their centre-back options before the transfer window closes.
It is understood that it is “highly likely” Szalai “will be sold for an astronomical” fee this summer with West Ham’s offer sitting on the table.
Extra depth
West Ham’s centre-back options have been light this season.
Thilo Kehrer’s arrival from Paris Saint-Germain has put paid to Ben Johnson’s appearances in the middle of the defence alongside Kurt Zouma, who had been the only fit senior centre-back at the club for a few weeks.
Craig Dawson, Angelo Ogbonna and new signing Nayef Aguerd have all had injury issues while Issa Diop was sold to Fulham.
Dawson, Ogbonna and Aguerd will all return to action at some point so would adding another centre-back on a permanent basis be a silly transfer and a waste of money?
Szalai is 25 and has never been tested in a big European league.
The 27-times Hungary international is a regular at Fenerbahce but the rest of his club experience has come in Cyprus, Austria and his homeland.
It would be a risk to spend the sort of money that’s being offered for him and if we sign him and then Aguerd, Dawson and Ogbonna are back to fitness, what happens then because we’ll all of a sudden have a surplus at centre-half?
West Ham are better off signing a young centre-back who can play for the Under-21s but is also good enough to be a back-up option for the first team.
It should be cheaper to do that and having one for the future is never a bad thing when you have ageing options in his position in Dawson and Ogbonna.