West Ham are reportedly pushing ahead with a thrilling £36m double raid for two Bundesliga stars handpicked by Kyle Macaulay.
The Hammers have hit a lull in their transfer window activity since the arrivals of El Hadji Malick Diouf and Kyle Walker-Peters.
Graham Potter still has a lot of work to do in his West Ham rebuild but the new Premier League season is now less than three weeks away.
At the end of last season Potter said he would “ideally” have his summer signings in place for pre-season.
But West Ham fans feared that was wishful thinking, especially with the club’s owners making it clear they had to sell in order to buy.
Mohammed Kudus’ controversial departure to Spurs has given West Ham money to spend.
Actually spending it is proving the difficult part, though.
West Ham have been in talks with Liverpool over deals for Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton.
Hammers pre-season shows midfield overhaul is a must
James McAtee has been heavily linked with a move to the London Stadium.
Signing a new goalkeeper is a top priority too with Alphonse Areola doing little to prove he deserves to be West Ham’s number one with errors for both goals in the 2-1 pre-season defeat to Man United.
Leicester City goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and Parma’s Zion Suzuki have been linked as West Ham’s top targets.
But Newcastle are in for Hermansen, forcing West Ham to go for another alternative.
Midfield and attack is widely regarded to be the biggest issue Potter must address.
Potter’s starting midfield against Man United was slow, immobile and desperately lacking in any athleticism, dynamism or guile.
James Ward-Prowse passed sideways and backwards for his entire time on the pitch.
Guido Rodriguez is simply not up to the pace and power of the English game.
Tomas Soucek has his limitations but at least impacts the game, getting the assist for Jarrod Bowen.
West Ham were much improved when young duo Freddie Potts and Preston Fearon came on with Lucas Paqueta.
The future of the Brazilian magnifico is uncertain after he was cleared of spot-fixing.
So the Hammers simply must bring in at least two midfielders.
West Ham launch exciting £36m double raid for Macaulay targets
And that’s exactly what they are trying to do – with new names in the frame from the extensive dossier compiled by their head of recruitment.
West Ham are now pushing for an exciting £36m double raid for Kyle Macaulay’s Bundesliga targets.
Callum Wilson is expected to join West Ham on a free transfer to give Potter a back-up striker option.
The Hammers boss is said to be reluctant to have too many strikers.
But Potter does want an attacker who can play wide or down the middle.
So that explains the first move of his double Bundesliga raid.
Hammers eye attacking midfield stars from Germany
According to French football journalist and presenter Julien Laurens, known for his work on TNT Sports, 5 Live and ESPN, West Ham want Bayer Leverkusen’s rapid and versatile attacker Amine Adli.
Laurens says Wolves are battling the Hammers for the 25-year-old who is very keen on a move to the Premier League.
The Hammers should have an advantage with London life and the prospect of playing in front of the second biggest crowd in the Premier League.
Laurens claimed Adli is valued at £23m by Leverkusen.
That’s within West Ham’s budget and it’s clear to see why Macaulay likes Nayef Aguerd’s Morocco teammate.
Because Adli can play on both wings as well as attacking midfield and as a forward.
That’s not the only deal the Hammers are trying to tie up as the midfield overhaul steps up a gear.
According to Guardian journalist Jacob Steinberg, West Ham have put the wheels in motion on a move for £13m-rated Werder Bremen star Romano Schmid.
Like Adli, Schmid is 25, fitting the Macaulay profile.
Steinberg has insisted a move is not yet advanced for the Austria international.
But West Ham are believed to be leading Premier League rivals Aston Villa and Fulham, who are monitoring Schmid too.
Given both Schmid and Adli are attacking midfielders, it remains to be seen whether Potter wants to sign both.
Although if Paqueta departs they will have those holes to fill.
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