**It’s been a couple of weeks since the curtains on the 2024/25 season dropped, and clubs across Europe are starting to make their move.**
West Ham United are yet to hit the ground running with their summer activity, but they’ve been linked with a handful of players, with the Hammers preparing for another squad rebuild.
The midfield is a priority for Graham Potter, but the ideal window would be for West Ham to also strengthen their defensive and attacking areas.
According to [Sebastien Vidal](https://x.com/SebEcrivainFoot/status/1932162002828575014), West Ham are interested in Stade de Reims midfielder Valentin Atangana.
The 19-year-old checks a lot of boxes for the Hammers. Reims were relegated from Ligue 1, but he was a standout performer for the French outfit.
Atangana was born in Cameroon but has represented France across youth levels. He might still be a teenager, but he has shown that he has the maturity to thrive at a decent level.
The France youth international is still a raw talent, but West Ham can offer him the right platform to hone his skills. With a rebuild on the cards, he could get the playing time he needs to refine his game.
Atangana was one of the first names on Reims’ team sheet, featuring 34 times in Ligue 1. He also played in both legs of the relegation play-offs that sent Reims down to Ligue 2.
He only had one goal to his name, but he excelled in his primary responsibilities.
Atangana won 55% of his total duels and averaged 1.1 interceptions, two tackles, 3.4 ball recoveries, and 1.8 clearances per 90 minutes.
He’s adept at winning the ball and breaking up opposition play. That would come in handy at West Ham, especially with Edson Alvarez and Guido Rodriguez on the chopping block.
Atangana’s standout performances for Reims have made him a wanted man. The French outfit will reportedly listen to offers of around €10 million (£8.4m).
That would be a drop in the bucket for West Ham, but they must be wary of competition with Lazio, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Premier League rivals Aston Villa also in the mix.