* By Paul Lagan
* 1 minute ago
* 2 min read
Photo by Alessandro Schiavone (London Stadium), Wikimedia Commons (USA flag)
Exclusive by Alessandro Schiavone
Five American players have been on West Ham United's books throughout their 130-year history.
Yet only one of them, defender Jonathan Spector, made his mark in east London, gracing 115 appearances across five seasons with four goals.
Either side of Spector, the likes of Ian Feuer, Sebastian Lletget, John Harkes and George John rarely got the Hammers' faithful pulses racing. They amassed a disappointing 17 appearances among each other at Upton Park before fading into oblivion.
Seventeen could now be the price tag, in million pounds, that the east Londoners may have to part with to secure the services of AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah.
The Hammers have already decided to send Carlos Soler back to Paris Saint-Germain while question marks remain over the future of Edson Alvarez who has struggled for consistency in the Premier League.
Hence sporting director Mark Noble and Head of Recruitment are weighing up their options to beef up an area that has been singled out as their Achilles Heel.
Top of the list is American international Musah who joined Milan from Valencia in 2023. The player was on the cusp of a move to Antonio Conte's side last week.
But negotiations between the Rossoneri and Napoli are at an impasse as Musah's parent club want to add easily-reachable add-ons to his €20m fixed fee. While the Italian champions have offered club-related accolades as bonuses. West Ham could pounce and hijack the deal, having both the financial means to satisfy the player and Milan.
The 22-year-old USA international has neither been a success nor a flop at San Siro. Yet he's probably paid the price for succeeding Sandro Tonali and Franck Kessie.
Yet he brings all the ingredients to the table such as physicality, intensity and dynamism.
A a hard runner who covers every blade of grass and who loves making late charges in or around the penalty area, he could be the ideal fit in Graham Potter's midfield. A bundle of energy who runs for two, his end product is not an area where he excels in. But neither was it Declan Rice's ace up his sleeve in his early days before he trashed Champions League record winners Real Madrid with two exquisite in April. Shooting is something that can be refined.
When all is said and done, if serial winner Conte has identified him as the ideal player for Napoli's midfield there has to be a reason.