West Ham are believed to be keen on signing Udinese right-back Festy Ebosele in the summer transfer window, but aren’t alone in showing an interest.
The Hammers haven’t necessarily been at their best throughout this season, but they still have a chance of qualifying for Europe in 2024/25.
They are just below the UEFA Europa Conference League place, currently trailing Brighton on goal difference, and they are still in the Europa League, preparing to face Freiburg across two legs next month.
Qualifying for Europe again could give West Ham a better chance of signing top-quality players once the campaign reaches its conclusion, and it looks as though they are eyeing a move for one individual, following a new update regarding their transfer business.
According to Udinese Blog [via Sport Witness], the east Londoners are interested in acquiring the signature of Ebosele this summer, but Tottenham and Everton are also in the mix.
The report states that Spurs could be the front-runners to snap him up, however, due to their good relationship with Udinese.
Ebosele would be a strong option for West Ham to bring in at the end of the season, providing good competition for Vladimir Coufal at right-back, depending on what the future holds for him moving forward.
This season, he has made 25 appearances in Serie A, 19 of which have been starts, and he has also won two caps for the Republic of Ireland, highlighting his international credentials.
At just 21 years of age, Ebosele is 10 years younger than Coufal, meaning he could be seen as a long-term replacement for the Czech, who is out of contract at the London Stadium in the summer, but has the option of extending his stay for another year.
A move to the Premier League could easily appeal to the Irishman, considering many see it as the best division in world football, and West Ham would view him as a young player who should only improve in the coming years.
Bringing in young talent who can be part of a new era at the club – potentially one with a new manager if David Moyes moves on – is something that should be a big area of focus, and Ebosele fits the bill nicely.