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West Ham United in hot pursuit of Leeds United right-back Cody Drameh amid contract drama
Leeds United have seen their contract talks with Cody Drameh ground to a halt, providing West Ham with an opportunity to pounce.
Drameh has made just two senior appearances for Leeds this season and the lack of first-team opportunities has left him frustrated and wanting a move. He spent last season on loan at Cardiff City, where he was named the club’s Player of the Season.
Leeds have tried to tie him down to a new deal, but Graeme Bailey reports that any potential contract is now off the table.
Later in his report, Bailey mentions teams interested in signing Drameh from the Yorkshire club, and West Ham are mentioned alongside Newcastle United and Crystal Palace as potential Premier League suitors.
Drameh’s current contract at Elland Road runs until 2024 but the 20-year-old right-back is pushing for a move and Leeds could be forced to sell before risking losing him for free.
Quality and depth
Right-back has been a serious problem position for West Ham this season. Vladimir Coufal has been such a consistent performer in recent years that David Moyes has hardly had to pay it any attention.
However, the Czech international has suffered a huge drop in form this season and Moyes has been forced to draft in Ben Johnson to try and paper over the cracks.
However, Johnson has also struggled to make the position his own, and summer signing Thilo Kehrer has also been deployed at right-back on occasion.
Signing Drameh would fix all of Moyes’ right-back headaches and provide the Hammers with a young talent that boasts a very bright future. His impressive loan spell at Cardiff has clearly attracted some attention, as Bailey not only mentions the three Premier League suitors, but also two from the Championship and a host of European clubs from Germany, France and Italy.
But if Drameh’s intentions are to stay in England, then West Ham could be a very appealing destination for the London-born defender.