West Ham United and Liverpool want David Raum but the Premier League giants will not have an easy task convincing Hoffenheim to sell the Bundesliga star, director Alexander Rosen tells SportBuzzer.
The 24-year-old left-back only joined Hoffenheim on a free transfer in the summer of 2021. Arriving on the back of an impressive season in the second tier with Greuther Furth.
12 months on, Raum is not only one of the Bundesliga’s rising stars, he is also in line for a starting berth for Germany at the Qatar World Cup. To say it’s been quite the rise for Hoffenheim’s swashbuckling assist-machine would be an understatement.
Only four players in the division have more assists than Raum in 2021/22; Thomas Muller, Marco Reus, Christopher Nkunku and Moussa Diaby. Quite the company you’re keeping there, David.
According to BILD, David Moyes’ West Ham and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have taken notice of Raum’s remarkable emergence during his debut season at the Rhein Neckar Arena.
But Hoffenheim will not sit idly by as Raum follows in the footsteps of Roberto Firmino, swapping Sinsheim for Stanley Park.
West Ham United and Liverpool want David Raum
“It wouldn’t be a simple 20 million euro transfer,” warns Rosen, pointing out that Raum has another four years left on his contract. “We’re in the driver’s seat in this regard.”
“(A massive transfer fee) would be insane for a player who came from the second division on a free transfer.”
Rosen does admit that, if Raum is offered the chance to take a substantial step up the footballing ladder while expanding his bank balance in the process, it may be an opportunity too good to turn down.
“I can well imagine that he will ask me kindly (if he can leave),” Rosen adds.
Liverpool’s admiration for the attack-minded, left-footed Raum may increase the speculation surrounding Kostas Tsimikas’ future at Anfield. Despite emerging as a genuine cult hero on the back of some excellent performances this term, Calciomercato claims that Jose Mourinho’s Roma are set to make an approach for the Greek international over the summer.
The chance to play first-team football, even if swapping Liverpool for Roma would be a step backwards, could test Tsimikas’ loyalties.
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