West Ham United want to complete Chelsea-esque transfer deal for Denis Zakaria as talks rapidly proceed
West Ham are looking to secure a Chelsea-esque deal to sign Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria as talks are proceeding rapidly between the two clubs, according to Tutto Juve.
The Italian media outlet claims the Hammers want to bring the Swiss international in on loan with an option to buy, but the Serie A giants are reportedly only looking for a permanent transfer.
Juventus are believed to be unwilling to budge from their £21.3million valuation of the 26-year-old, while the East Londoners are looking for a deal in the region of £17.9million.
Although Tutto Juve doesn’t expect a deal to be concluded imminently, it said talks are progressing well and that there is a “very good” feeling that an agreement can be reached.
Progress
While it does look like this move could still be a while away from being completed, both clubs are clearly keen to strike a deal and progress has been made during the recent talks.
It’s understandable that the Hammers are looking to bring Zakaria in on loan after the Swiss only made 13 appearances last season and injuries prevented him from really kicking on at Chelsea.
With Declan Rice looking to be on his way out of the London Stadium, it’s absolutely crucial that David Moyes gets his midfield right for the upcoming campaign after the outgoing captain has been such an influential figure in the middle of the park in recent years.
If Zakaria can stay fit and recapture the form of his Borussia Monchengladbach days, then we could have an excellent player on our hands.
It does look like there is some way to go before the defensive midfielder will be wearing a claret and blue shirt, but it’s good to see the deal appear to be moving forwards.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers will table a “low-ball” bid as a new “minimum” Southampton fee emerges.