Nils Koppen is wasting little time in getting to work on West Ham’s summer signings with the club agreeing a deal for exciting Portuguese star Gustavo Sa with a Sheffield United defender also in his sights.
The Hammers are not hiding the club’s target for next season – an instant return to the Premier League.
Automatic promotion is the shared minimum expectation of new majority owner Daniel Kretinsky, manager Nuno Espirito Santo, new head of recruitment Nils Koppen and West Ham fans.
West Ham close to making exciting star Sa Koppen’s first signing
Nuno’s squad will need strengthening to achieve that in the fiercely competitive Championship, especially with Mateus Fernandes leaving and expected to be followed by the likes of Crysencio Summerville.
Supporters have been wondering when the club would start to make signings of their own with pre-season training getting underway on Monday.
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West Ham made it clear signings are coming with a bold statement unveiling Koppen on Saturday.
The Hammers were not messing around either, it seems.
Because West Ham are already close to an exciting first Koppen signing and a Blades left-back may be next.
Hammers News looked at Koppen’s transfer strategy and approach ahead of his arrival at West Ham.
In his own words, the Belgian likes to scour the globe for top young talent before they are on the radar of Europe’s elite clubs.
And Koppen’s reportedly imminent first capture of Portuguese playmaker Gustavo Sa certainly fits that profile.
Blades left-back Burrows also in West Ham’s sights
It looks set to be one 21-year-old Portuguese star out and another one in at the London Stadium.
Because according to Portuguese outlet Record, West Ham are in advanced negotiations and just ‘one step away’ from signing 21-year-old Famalicao captain Sá in a deal worth around £17.5m.
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It is claimed the midfielder is set to join fellow Portuguese Nuno on a contract running until 2031.
Sa was a big target for Saudi side Al-Ittihad in January but remained with Famalicão.
Now it is reported he is expected to leave the club for West Ham imminently.
Video footage shows Sa to be a skilful, elegant midfielder with great vision and range of passing and he is described as ‘the all-round midfielder’.
Sa is not the only young talent West Ham are looking to sign following Koppen’s arrival.
According to journalist Alan Nixon, the Hammers are keen on Sheffield United’s attack-minded left-back Harrison Burrows and are ‘lining up a bid’.
Nixon says West Ham believe Burrows is ‘ideal for their Championship campaign’ and reports that an offer is in the pipeline in the coming weeks.
West Ham’s move for Burrows will be expedited should Senegal left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf be sold after links with numerous Premier League and European clubs.
Burrows is 24 and extremely versatile given he can play at left-back and in midfield as well as on the wing.
He made 15 starts and 14 substitute appearances for the Blades in the Championship last season, scoring five goals and laying on four assists from left-back.
Crossing, passing and set-pieces are listed as Burrows’ key strengths while the player has ‘no significant weaknesses’ according to WhoScored.
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