EXCLUSIVE: West Ham shift focus to signing £40m rated Everton Midfielder as Declan Rice replacement as Hammers back out of Palhinha move after ridiculous Fulham £90m price tag
West Ham United have shifted their focus to 21-year-old Everton defensive midfielder Amadou Onana in their ranks after the Hammers were put off by Fulham’s ridiculous price tag for top target João Palhinha.
According to Alan Nixon via Patreon, West Ham United are now interested in acquiring the services of Amadou Onana. The Hammers believe the 21-year-old could be an ideal replacement for their skipper Declan Rice who is all set to leave the club.
Rice has been the mainstay of their teams for a few years now. But, the 24-year-old has decided to move on and join a bigger club. Even their Chairman David Sullivan confirmed after their UEFA Conference League triumph that Rice will be parting ways with the club.
The England international’s departure will leave a major void in the centre of the park. And, their manager David Moyes believes Onana could help them fill that void. The 21-year-old might not have all the qualities that Rice possesses but his physical presence can surely help them defensively.
Moyes is a big fan of the 21-year-old. He even tried to sign him last summer from LOSC Lille. But, the Scottish manager lost the race for the Belgian international. Everton managed to acquire his services for a fee of around €35 million.
Onana started off in fine fashion at Goodison Park but his game time started to decline in the final phase. He is no longer a regular under Sean Dyche and with Everton struggling in terms of finances, they can cash in on the big interest from West Ham.
The Hammers have the financial power to prise him away from Everton. They are willing to pay between £40 to £50 million for the 21-year-old and are ready to provide him a big contract. However, with Moyes having failed to sign him last time out, it will be interesting to see if the Scottish manager can convince him this time around.
West Ham believe he can form a formidable partnership with Lucas Paqueta in the centre of the park. With Rice leaving, signing Onana could be a great move from the Hammers. While they are ready to go the distance to land him at the club, they will have to convince the player that it is the right project for him.
