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West Ham are believed to be looking to beat Bayer Leverkusen to the signing of Girona midfielder Aleix Garcia this summer, a new report has claimed.

The Hammers are looking for new additions in the summer transfer window, as life under new manager Julen Lopetegui gets underway.

There is still a huge question mark over the future of Lucas Paqueta, who faces a lengthy ban for betting offences and has also been linked with a move to Manchester City, so a new midfielder could be required.

According to the Guardian‘s Jacob Steinberg, West Ham are interested in signing Garcia from Girona in the coming months, aiming to get the better of Bundesliga champions Leverkusen in the race to acquire his signature:

“West Ham are attempting to derail Bayer Leverkusen’s attempt to sign the Girona midfielder Aleix García. Leverkusen have been leading the race for García but the Bundesliga champions are in danger of missing out on one of Xabi Alonso’s key targets. West Ham have offered about £14m for the Spaniard.”

The report goes on to add that Lopetegui “is looking to strengthen in several positions”, including midfield, which is considered a “priority” area of the pitch.

Garcia could be exactly what West Ham are after in the middle of the park this summer, following an excellent season that saw him help Girona seal a shock third-place finish in La Liga.

The 26-year-old started 36 of his side’s 38 league matches, chipping in with nine goal contributions (three goals and six assists), as well as completing 91.7% of his passes and averaging 1.3 tackles and clearances apiece per game.

Garcia’s form has seen him named in Spain’s preliminary squad for Euro 2024 this summer, as he looks to add to his one solitary cap for his country to date, which further shows what a top-quality signing he could be for the Hammers.

Even if the Paqueta saga blows over and he stays at West Ham, which admittedly feels unlikely currently, Lopetegui should be looking to strike a deal for the Girona ace, seeing him as a key player for the foreseeable future.

The threat of Leverkusen could be great, given their title-winning brilliance under Xabi Alonso, but the lure of the Premier League can never be understated.