Opinion: Latest West Ham target would be a great defensive reinforcement

West Ham United are linked with the signing of 25-year-old right-back Joakim Maehle from Atalanta this summer, and he would provide excellent back up to our current defenders. 

It is understood by several sources, including The Sun via Tutto Atalanta, that the Hammers are heavily interested in signing the Dane international this summer for a fee of around £15-£17 million.

Maehle, who has improved a lot over the past few seasons, has been a vital member of the current Atalanta squad and has also made 29 appearances for his national side – scoring nine goals since making his debut in September 2020.

The defender, who primarily plays in the right back position, offers the team strong, defensive contributions to stop the opposition from scoring – but he can also attack well too.

The 25-year-old made 1.1 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game last season in all competitions, and his strong physique will definitely help him adapt to the Premier League quickly.

Currently, West Ham have both Vladimir Coufal and Ben Johnson to play in the right back position, but Maehle will still be a good signing for the Hammers and can add extra defensive reinforcement.

The Dane also has good passing abilities and can team up well with Jarrod Bowen down the wing, making him a good summer signing this transfer window.

It is also rumoured that London rivals Tottenham Hotspur are interested in acquiring his services, which would benefit the Hammers by taking a great player away from potential top-six opposition.

As we head into the 2022/23 campaign, West Ham need to prepare and bolster their squad for the Europa Conference League.

The signing of Maehle will definitely contribute to that and, for a price as low as £15 million, this is one summer signing that manager David Moyes’ should take by the scruff of the neck.