Journalist Jacob Steinberg has named West Ham’s next three transfer targets after the imminent signing of Max Kilman.
An exciting West Ham claim emerged on Wednesday that the club was on the verge of breakthroughs with three brilliant deals.
There was even talk a fourth was possible too.
It came after Julen Lopetegui and technical director Tim Steidten had provided tantalising transfer updates at the new head coach’s official unveiling on Monday.
Lopetegui underlined his fierce ambition to be competitive, saying he wants West Ham to ‘make a big noise’.
Hammers duo have ‘big’ plans
Steidten then promised a ‘big summer window’ and refuted claims West Ham have a small budget by insisting the club are in a good financial position to spend.
And spend West Ham have. Yesterday a £40m deal was agreed with Wolves for their centre-back and captain Max Kilman.
Kilman becomes West Ham’s third signing of the summer so far after Luis Guilherme and Wes Foderingham.
The 27-year-old has had his medical and expected to be unveiled in the next 48 hours.
Kilman takes West Ham’s squad up to 20 senior players of a possible 25.
Steinberg names West Ham’s next three targets after Kilman
The Hammers were said to be targeting eight signings this summer, so fans can expect to see another five arrive.
But with a number of existing players expected to depart such as Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd and Danny Ings – in addition to Flynn Downes who was not in last season’s squad – more may be needed.
And more may well be on the way soon it seems.
Jacob Steinberg has named West Ham’s next three transfer targets after Kilman.
It had already been stated that West Ham want to bring in two centre-backs, at least one versatile full-back, at least one striker, two new attacking wingers, central midfielder and back-up goalkeeper.
So far one versatile winger, who can also play centrally, has arrived in the shape of £20m Guilherme.
The back-up goalkeeper and homegrown player boxes have been ticked with Foderingham on a free.
Now one of the centre-backs on Lopetegui and Steidten’s wishlist is arriving too with the Kilman deal all but done. That also ticks the homegrown box.
Where to next for West Ham in the summer window then?
Guardian journalist Steinberg believes he knows the plan.
Striker, winger and midfielder next but KWP first?
In a transfer update, Steinberg says West Ham will now look to sign a striker, winger and midfielder as their priorities.
But a deal for Southampton full-back Kyle Walker-Peters may be completed first.
“West Ham want a striker, a midfielder and a winger, and have held talks with Southampton over signing Kyle Walker-Peters,” Steinberg states.
“The full-back could be part of a deal that takes Flynn Downes to Southampton.”
Interestingly this mirrors that exciting claim from Wednesday that the Hammers were closing on three signings.
That originated from a top source on long-running Hammers site KUMB.
It was claimed West Ham were closing in on the double signing of Wolves skipper Kilman and Southampton full-back Walker-Peters.
Part one of that claim has proved accurate, now Steinberg has repeated the news about Walker-Peters – who was the best full-back in the Championship last season and can play on the left and right.
The other player in the report from midweek was Juventus attacker Matias Soule.
It was stated that a deal was also close to being agreed with Juve for the Argentine.
Soule can play anywhere across the attacking positions including as a second striker.
He was one of the highest rated attackers in Serie A last season while on loan at Frosinone.
In terms of a striker, Hammers News revealed before Lopetegui had even been made official that Youssef En-Nesyri was the forward on a list of four targets he wanted West Ham to sign if he agreed to become the new boss.
En-Nesyri is available for £17m from Sevilla and shone under Lopetegui at the Spanish club.
Mystery surrounds who the central midfield target might be, though.
But one thing is for sure, West Ham really seem to mean business this summer.
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