West Ham have reportedly ramped up their pursuit to sign Manchester City defender Nathan Ake by tabling a bid for him.
Nuno Espirito Santo wants the Hammers board to sign a defender in the coming weeks in order to give him the best chance of avoiding relegation.
Imagine if Nuno were to be sacked…😮
Who would you want West Ham to replace him with and why?
Ake is a West Ham target for the January transfer window as he is viewed as a player who could strengthen the playing eleven.
Nathan Ake stance on being in a relegation battle emerges
According to ExWHUEmployee, the Hammers tabled a bid for the 30-year-old to shore up their interest in securing his services.
Ake is struggling for game time at Manchester City and an exit from the Etihad Stadium would benefit him in his quest for regular minutes.
He has played just 223 minutes in the Premier League this term for the 2023 Champions League winners, starting only one of the eight games he has featured in.
Even in the Champions League, the Dutchman has made just one start.
However, he is unlikely to arrive at the London Stadium as he does not want to be a part of a relegation battle.
There are other options that the Netherlands international prefers and he will explore his options to move there instead of joining the Irons.
Nathan Ake has rejected West Ham…😔
Which centre-back do YOU think West Ham should sign in January?
Who can West Ham realistically sign in January?
Getting turned down by Ake ahead of the January transfer window is much better than it happening in the days leading up to transfer deadline day.
This gives them ample time to move to other targets and see which ones fit the style of play Nuno is trying to implement at the club.
Charlie Cresswell has admirers at West Ham and there is interest in securing his services in the coming weeks.
It’s understood that Cresswell would cost £22million as Toulouse are not willing to lose one of their best players on the cheap.
With the Hammers in constant touch with the English centre-back’s representatives, there is a high possibility that things escalate in the January transfer window.
What has been said about West Ham signing new players in January?
While Nuno has not promised exactly how many new players will arrive, he has asserted the importance in making signings in January.
He has stated that the squad needs to be rebalanced and has urged the board to help him do that.
Nuno said: “It’s very important, it’s very important. We need to rebalance our squad, but now it’s time to focus on Brighton. After the club is working and the transfer window is open, we’ll make decisions.
“Like I said, I think we need to rebalance the squad. There are positions where we need to have more options.”
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