West Ham United: Zeno Debast transfer wanted as rival bid emerges from Portugal
Sporting CP have had a £12.8m bid rejected for Anderlecht defender Zeno Debast, with West Ham among the interested clubs, according to O Jogo.
The Hammers are one of several clubs interested in the 19-year-old central defender, and it was believed the player had an asking price of around £8.8m [Voetbal Belgie, 13 April].
But according to the Portuguese news outlet (16 April), Sporting have made a bid worth £12.8m plus bonuses to get a march on their rivals but it was rejected by the Belgian club ahead of the summer window.
Debast will enter the final year of his contract this summer and has already told the Red Devils that he wants to move on during the transfer window, and West Ham could be set to make a move now that they know what it will take to get a deal done.
Will West Ham United make a move for Zeno Debast?
It seems inevitable that the Hammers are going to be in the transfer market for a new central defender or two, with the future of several options currently at the club up in the air.
The club are reportedly open to offers for club captain Kurt Zouma after injury issues and with his contract not having long to run, while Nayef Aguerd has struggled to settle since his arrival at the club and Angelo Ogbonna is beyond his best years.
Debast is someone who has got the world at his feet and the Hammers could have an issue convincing him to join as he reportedly wants Champions League football, but playing regularly will also be important to him.
With the future of David Moyes still unknown too it remains to be seen how the club will move forward with transfers, as surely whoever is in charge will need to have a say and if that decision hasn’t been made the club can’t make their moves.
But the Irons now know it will take in excess of £15m to get their man, so they can at least make a decision on their interest based on that.
In other West Ham news, Barcelona were priced out of a move for West Ham ace last summer.
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