West Ham ‘overtake all rivals’ as firm bid is lodged for Udinese star
West Ham are in pole position to sign Jens Stryger Larsen after lodging a firm approach for the Udinese star, according to a report.
Stryger Larsen was a member of the Denmark squad that made it all the way to the semi-finals of Euro 2020. From his perspective, it was the reward for four years of hard work at club level with Udinese. However, his future there is now in doubt.
The 30-year-old is in the final year of his contract, meaning Udinese could sell him this summer. He was thought to be on the verge of a move to Turkey with Galatasaray. However, Sky Sports are reporting that the proposed deal has fallen through.
Instead, he has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League. To that end, both Watford and West Ham were said to be considering a move.
However, as per Corriere dello Sport, it is the Hammers who have emerged as the leading contenders to sign him. Indeed, the Italian paper claims David Moyes’ side now lead all other contenders to sign him and have ‘lodged an official bid within the last few hours’.
They expect the deal to progress quickly and believe an agreement could be reached within hours.
With just a year left on his deal, they believe his signing won’t set the Hammers back much. And Stryger Larsen could prove a bargain addition to Moyes’ squad as they seek to add cover and competition to their ranks.
Stryger Larsen played 33 matches for Udinese in Serie A last season. Although he’s known as a right-back, he played a variety of roles on both sides of the pitch. He should therefore prove a useful option for Moyes.
The Hammers have been looking to strengthen in the full-back areas to provide competition for Vladimir Coufal (whose own contract talks have been stalling). With a European campaign of their own on the horizon, they need depth all over the pitch.
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Another member of the Denmark Euros squad to be linked with West Ham is striker Martin Braithwaite.
Braithwaite was a surprise signing for Barcelona in the winter of 2020. However, his time there now looks over and he’s deemed a player they are looking to offload.
He has been linked with a return to English football after a previous spell in the Championship with Middlesbrough. This time, he would be aiming for the Premier League, where West Ham and Wolves have been linked.
But his agent has given an indication of where his future lies after hitting out at reports of a move to Wolves.
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