Yet to grab the headlines this summer, West Ham United are now reportedly in talks to sign two defenders, including a La Liga star who has previously attracted the interest of Aston Villa.
West Ham reject Kudus offer
Whilst rumours continue to arrive regarding potential incomings at the London Stadium, speculation has not died down regarding the future of Mohammed Kudus. The talented winger has found himself at the centre of interest from both Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United in recent days, potentially handing West Ham an uphill battle to keep hold of their star.
Losing Kudus even after he endured a frustrating second season at the club would undoubtedly provide Graham Potter with a major blow.
The West Ham boss was full of praise for the winger throughout the first few months of his tenure, telling reporters: "I think Mo has had probably a season that, from his perspective, would be a little bit disappointing, not because of his lack of effort or anything like that, but sometimes these things happen.
Germany's Rocco Reitz and Germany's Eric Martel look dejected after the match Related
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“Speaking personally, he’s been great with us in terms of how he’s worked every day, fantastic. He has built his fitness up, built his condition up to the point where he can sustain things a lot better now."
Given that they've reportedly rejected a £50m offer from London rivals Tottenham, it seems as though the Hammers will only sell Kudus at a premium price this summer, if at all.
West Ham's Mohammed Kudus
Whether Spurs return with a better offer is the question that still needs answering. Of course, losing their star man at all will be a frustrating blow, but losing him to a direct rival would only add salt to their wounds.
With that money, however, West Ham could finally focus on incomings and potentially a double deal to hand Potter an impressive defensive boost.
West Ham in talks to sign Mingueza and Diouf
As reported by Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, West Ham are now in talks to sign both Oscar Mingueza and El Hadji Malick Diouf from Celta Vigo and Slavia Prague, respectively. Both players are reportedly open to a summer switch to the London Stadium and, as talks continue, could help the Hammers kickstart their transfer business.
Mingueza, who operates as a right-back, would be an ideal replacement for the departed Vladimir Coufal whilst offering strong competition for Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Diouf, meanwhile, could take hold of the starting left-back spot following Aaron Cresswell and possibly Emerson Palmieri's departures at the end of the season.
Dubbed "underrated" by analyst Ben Mattinson, Mingueza would be a particularly impressive signing for West Ham, who would be stealing in ahead of Aston Villa to welcome a talented defender.