David Moyes is said to be ‘optimistic’ over the £17m summer signing of Hans Vanaken before West Ham face Aston Villa this weekend.
West Ham boss Moyes has long been an admirer of Belgian midfielder Vanaken.
The Hammers are said to have seen a bid of £8.5m rejected by Club Brugge for Vanaken this summer.
West Ham look set to take their summer spending past £130m with the signing of Emerson from Chelsea later today.
The Italian international will be the seventh arrival of a busy summer.
And he could be quickly followed by an eighth which takes West Ham’s summer spend on transfers past £145m.
Belgian outfit Club Brugge are reportedly holding out for closer to between £12.5-17m for Vanaken (90 Min).
At the weekend the player’s manager Carl Hoefkens admitted at the weekend that he could lose Vanaken to West Ham, even though he would love him to stay.
Then the player himself publicly stated on Sunday that he wants to join the Hammers as it may be his last chance to play in the Premier League.
Yesterday Sky Sports claimed West Ham are about to submit a new bid for the number 10.
Moyes is desperate to add another midfielder to his “stale” West Ham team. And it is easy to see why.
West Ham are the only team in the Premier League without a point and the only team in England’s top four leagues yet to score a goal.
Indeed Rochdale are the only other club yet to register a point this season.
West Ham travel to Aston Villa this weekend with the hosts under pressure themselves after some impressive summer business.
Steven Gerrard is feeling the heat having spent big at Villa.
Now Moyes is said to be ‘optimistic’ over the £17m summer signing of Vanaken before West Ham face Aston Villa this weekend.
That’s according to a new report from The Evening Standard on Tuesday.
“West Ham are optimistic of striking a deal for Vanaken as David Moyes targets new signings before the transfer window closes on September 1,” The Evening Standard reports.
“Vanaken, a Belgium international, has made it clear that he wants to move to the London Stadium and West Ham hope to push through a deal this week.”
Vanaken would need to be signed before Friday’s lunchtime deadline in order to be registered in time for West Ham’s trip to Villa Park.
Even if the Belgian was signed before then, whether Moyes would thrust him straight into the action remains to be seen.