West Ham attempting to hijack Napoli move for “valuable” 6’6″ midfielder

Shifting their focus back towards potential arrivals after officially appointing Graham Potter as manager, West Ham United are reportedly attempting to hijack Napoli’s move to sign a towering midfielder this month.

West Ham transfer news

With Potter secured, one of the many questions remaining is who will be the first arrival of a new era at the London Stadium. Even names such as Marcus Rashford have already been mentioned, but it remains to be seen whether the Hammers are in a position to convince the Manchester United outcast into a January switch over the likes of Milan.

The new manager will be keen to get off to a good start both on and off the pitch and commence the revival of his reputation as a result following his failures at Chelsea. Potter addressed the West Ham fans for the first time after putting pen to paper, telling the club’s official website: “West Ham United is a huge Club, at the heart of London, with a tremendous fanbase and great support all around the world.

“I saw the scenes that followed their Europa Conference League victory in 2023 and it was clear that this is a Club with everything in place to become consistently successful, both on and off the pitch.

“The Club have made a lot of good progress in recent years and ensured there are some very strong foundations in place to build on. You don’t win a European trophy by fluke – there has to be a good bedrock at a football club for that to happen, and the challenge now is to take that on and build the next steps, to develop a team and a Club that the supporters can be proud of.”

Related

West Ham want to sign PL player who’d be Potter’s dream Paqueta replacement

West Ham are interested in a “special” ace to improve Potter’s squad

Meanwhile, after turning towards a familiar face in the technical area, those at the London Stadium could look to do the same at the heart of their midfield.

According to Danish outlet Ekstra Bladet, West Ham are now attempting to hijack Napoli’s deal to sign Philip Billing from Bournemouth before the end of the January transfer window in a deal that would significantly bolster the mobility of Potter’s midfield.

That said, the Hammers are facing a race against time if they want to secure the Dane’s signature given that Napoli are reportedly closing in on a loan deal with an option to buy at the end of the campaign.

“Valuable” Billing would partner Soucek

Standing at a staggering 6 foot 6, Billing would finally replace Declan Rice’s mobility at the heart of West Ham’s midfield next to Edson Alvarez in what could be a crucial addition at the start of Potter’s tenure.

Meanwhile, if there were any concerns that the Dane isn’t as talented in possession as he is out of it, Andoni Iraola’s previous praise should ease those worries.

The Bournemouth boss described the midfielder as “valuable” at the end of last season and claimed that he scored some “important goals” in a solid campaign for the Cherries.

Now, however, Bournemouth’s loss could be West Ham’s gain as they look to hijack Napoli’s move and finally replace Rice in doing so.