West Ham are believed to be in pole position to complete the signing of a four-time league winner in the summer transfer window, according to a new update.
Hammers supporters have every right to feel excited heading into the new season, with Julen Lopetegui replacing David Moyes in the London Stadium hot seat, bringing a freshness to proceedings.
Max Kilman and Luis Guilherme are among the signings who have already joined West Ham this summer, representing two exciting pieces of business, and now another name has emerged as a rumoured option.
According to a new report from Caught Offside, the east Londoners are the current favourites to sign Ajax defender Josip Sutalo in the near future.
It is claimed that the 24-year-old “is of interest” to Lopetegui’s side, and that “it’s understood that West Ham are leading the race because of their recent dealings with the Dutch giants”, having signed Edson Alvarez and Mohammed Kudus from the Dutch giants.
Fulham and Brighton are also thought to be targeting a move for Sutalo ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, but they appear to be behind their Premier League rivals in the race currently.
West Ham may have already brought in Kilman from Wolves, which immediates boosts Lopetegui’s centre-back options, but Sutalo could also be an excellent addition.
The defender is a strong all-round player capable of shining on and off the ball, as a 91.8% pass completion rate and average of 2.5 aerial duel wins per game in the Eredivisie last season highlight. He also started three matches for Croatia at Euro 2024.
Sutalo is someone who has picked up a great winning mentality in his career, too, having won four league titles with Dinamo Zagreb, and his peak years are still likely to be ahead of him.
A new-look central defensive pairing of Kilman and Sutalo could be an exciting prospect for West Ham supporters, especially with uncertainty surrouding the futures of current Hammers pair Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd.
Squad depth is essential, however, so even if they both stay put, or one of them for that matter, snapping up the Ajax man is a no-brainer.
