David Ornstein has issued an update on ‘world class’ West Ham free agent target Alex Grimaldo as Nottingham Forest join the race.
West Ham and Notts Forest were linked with mutual interest in a host of players in the summer as both underwent big squad overhauls.
The most notable was Jesse Lingard, who ended up choosing Forest over West Ham because they showed him ‘more love and respect’ in negotiations.
Both David Moyes and Steve Cooper spent big in the summer but have watched their teams become embroiled in one of the tightest relegation battles for years.
West Ham beat Forest 4-0 recently but are still below them in the Premier League table.
Now it looks like the Hammers will have to beat Forest off the pitch if they want to land a longstanding Moyes target.
Ornstein has issued an update on ‘world class’ West Ham free agent target Grimaldo as Nottingham Forest join the race.
With Aaron Cresswell looking likely to be nearing the end of his time at West Ham this season, fans want to see a pacy, modern fullback brought in to replace him.
Emerson Palmieri has slowly started to show decent form since signing for West Ham last summer. But with Cresswell expected to depart this summer, another left-back will be needed.
When West Ham were forced to admit defeat in their bid to sign Filip Kostic in the summer, they turned to Spanish-Portuguese ace Grimaldo.
Speaking to Give Me Sport at the time, journalist Dean Jones claimed that West Ham really wanted the 27-year-old Benfica star.
David Ornstein update on ‘world class’ West Ham free agent target Alex Grimaldo as Nottingham Forest join the race
Benfica sporting director Tiago Pinto recently suggested that ‘world-class’ Grimaldo is good enough to play for any team in world football, as quoted by Be Soccer.
Talk of a move for Grimaldo has not gone away, with speculation West Ham and the likes of Arsenal wanted him in January.
Now it seems West Ham will have to fight off competition from newly interested Forest if they still want Grimaldo in the next window.
With West Ham having been heavily linked with Grimaldo in previous windows, Athletic journalist Ornstein has reaffirmed that the soon-to-be free agent could move to the Premier League this summer.
“Grimaldo attracting interest from Premier League and beyond,” Ornstein said on The Athletic.
“The 27-year-old will be a free agent at the end of the season after deciding not to renew his contract with Benfica, reports Mario Cortegana.
“Ligue 1 side Nice have made an appealing financial offer but a move to the Premier League is attractive and there have been talks with Fulham and Nottingham Forest.
In Spain, Real Sociedad and Valencia have sounded out a move. Grimaldo has also been linked with Borussia Dortmund in Germany and Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has shown interest too.”
Grimaldo has been included in Spain manager Luis de la Fuente’s provisional squad for this month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Norway and Scotland.
But any hopes West Ham or Forest have of signing a player of Grimaldo’s quality hinge on them being in the Premier League come the summer.
And that will be the only focus for Moyes and Cooper right now.