Irons bid for Zakaria
Irons bid for Zakaria
As CandH previously reported , the Irons are very interested in acquiring the services of Denis Zakaria.
It now appears things are progressing, as West Ham have submitted a bid of £13million for the Juventus midfielder Denis, but face competition for the Swiss international’s signature from Champions League-qualifying Ligue 1 side Lens, according to a report from TuttoJuve.
Both clubs have reportedly submitted similar bids for the 26-year-old, who recently spent last season in loan with Chelsea. However, Juventus are asking for at least £17million.
With Declan on his way to the Emirates, West Ham will need to be looking to add much needed depth to their midfield ahead of their Premier League and Europa League campaigns next season.
A large squad will be needed to compete both in the Premier League and the Europa League, where West Ham will be looking to improve on their last Europa League campaign which ended in heartbreak in the semi-finals against eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt.
Zakaria may be the first piece in the puzzle to replace their captain Rice, whose switch to Arsenal is edging closer to confirmation.
The Irons now face genuine competition from Ligue 1 runner-ups RC Lens.
Their qualification for the Champions League puts them in a very strong position to attract the kind of top players that would otherwise be unattainable to a side who were only promoted to France’s top-flight in 2020.
That being said, West Ham would be in a stronger position to offer Zakaria a higher salary to entice the midfielder, whose tackling, ball distribution and imposing height have seen him nicknamed “the new Patrick Vieira”
