West Ham United have advantage in transfer battle for Ajax ace Josip Sutalo
Previous transfer dealings between West Ham and Ajax could give the Hammers an edge in their bid to sign defender Josip Sutalo, according to CaughtOffside.
CaughtOffside reported on 10 July that as well as the Hammers, Fulham and Brighton are also keen on the 24-year-old centre-back, but Julen Lopetegui’s side are believed to be leading the race.
That’s because of the relationship established between the Irons and Ajax over the course of the last year, with Edson Alvarez and Mohammed Kudus both moving to the London Stadium for sizeable fees.
The Hammers have already signed Max Kilman from Wolves for £40million this summer but are said to be in the market for another central defender.
West Ham will hope to seal transfer thanks to Ajax connection
The rebuilding of Lopetegui’s new Irons side is well underway in East London this summer, with Kilman’s headline signing being the club’s third arrival just weeks after the transfer window opened.
Given the Hammers conceded a whopping 74 goals last season – the most of any side not to be relegated – addressing their leaky defence was always going to be Lopetegui’s number one priority [The Sun, 23 May].
The signing of Kilman, a former Lopetegui captain with ample Premier League experience for Wolves, will certainly help, but adding a partner for him in the form of Sutalo will boost the defensive stocks further.
It’s safe to say that the form of ex-Ajax stars Alvarez and Kudus has been exceptional since arriving at the club, to the point at which both have been linked with big-money moves after just one season.
Caught Offside said Sutalo is valued between £21-£25.3million and if he becomes the third player to arrive in London via Ajax in quick succession, he will become part a new-look Hammers spine that could help compete in the upper echelons of the Premier League.
In other West Ham news, the future of Jarrod Bowen has seemingly been decided.
For more West Ham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channelfor instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.