West Ham United are now willing to submit a formal offer for a "special" goal-scoring midfielder, who could be keen on a move to the Premier League this summer, according to a report.
West Ham looking to sign new midfielder after opening day defeat
There have been widespread suggestions that West Ham are set to make an offer for at least one new midfielder in the coming days, and the need to get new signings through the door has arguably been exacerbated by the disappointing opening day defeat.
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The Hammers suffered a 3-0 loss against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon, and Alan Shearer has since stated that fans should be worried about the season that lies ahead.
Shearer said: "I would be [concerned]. That’s Graham Potter’s biggest defeat as West Ham manager. They haven’t replaced Kudus, two new players in the starting lineup.
"There was no spark, no energy, and there was certainly no reaction at all, and that would be the worrying thing already."
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Bayer Leverkusen's Aleix Garcia is one of the midfielders on Potter's shortlist, and there has now been a new update on the Irons' pursuit of the Spaniard.
According to a report from Spain, West Ham are now willing to submit a formal offer for Garcia in the coming weeks, and there is a feeling the former Manchester City man could welcome a return to the Premier League.
The Hammers' current midfield options have been inconsistent, meaning Potter is looking to bolster his options, but it could be a challenge to prise the Spanish maestro away from Bayer Leverkusen, given that he only arrived at the German club for €18m (£16m) last summer.
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Aleix Garcia comes off the pitch for Florian Wirtz at Bayer Leverkusen.
The Irons also held talks to sign the former Girona man prior to his move to Germany, and there are plenty of signs it could be worth reigniting their interest...
"Special" Garcia could elevate West Ham's midfield
Pep Guardiola has lauded the five-time Spain international in the past, claiming he has "something special", and the Leverkusen ace's goal-scoring ability could make him a shrewd acquisition for West Ham.
Indeed, the 28-year-old has been a reliable source of goals for Leverkusen over the past year, placing in the 92nd percentile for non-penalty goals per 90, while also ranking in the 89th percentile for assists.
Moreover, the former Man City man has vastly outperformed Lucas Paqueta over that time period, despite the Brazilian being more accustomed with playing in a more advanced midfield role.
Player Non penalty goals (per 90) Assists (per 90)
Lucas Paqueta 0.07 0.0
Aleix Garcia 0.20 0.20
As such, Garcia could clearly be capable of taking West Ham's midfield to the next level, and it is promising news that an official bid could be submitted soon.