Spezia’s chief football officer has played down speculation claiming Premier League outfit West Ham United submitted a bid for reported Barcelona and AC Milan target Jakub Kiwior, speaking to Football Italia.
Before Thilo Kehrer arrived at the Hammers during the final month of the summer window, Tuttomercatoweb claimed that the Londoners had made a £10 million bid for Kiwior.
True or not, those reports highlight how far the 22-year-old has come this season; from relative unknown to one of the most coveted young defenders around. After catching the eye in Italy, the one-time Anderlecht youngster forced his way into Poland’s World Cup squad, boarding a plane to Qatar with the praise of one Robert Lewandowski ringing in his ears.
“Oh Lord, listen to me: this is a real player!” Poland’s living legend said of a player now tipped to join him at Barcelona (Tuttosport).
“I asked: ‘But who is he’? Then I saw him in the game (against the Netherlands in September). Extraordinary. Really great potential.”
West Ham, Barcelona, AC Milan and Napoli like Spezia’s Jakub Kiwior
Kiwior will cost a damn sight more than £10 million these days. According to reports, Spezia now want £25 million amid rumoured interest not only from Barcelona but also AC Milan, Juventus and Napoli.
Spezia’s CFO Eduardo Macia, however, insists that not a single offer has arrived for his prized asset as things stand.
“Kiwior has had this incredible progress. (He) is destined for an important step in his career, but it has to be at the right moment. There is no rush,” says Macia, formerly of Liverpool and Leicester City.
“It has to be a definitive step up and not a momentary one. I want players, agents and families to remember that a career lasts (until a player is) 32, 33, 35. Ut doesn’t end tomorrow. You don’t go to Bayern Munich to then drop back down to Brighton.
“There are rumours, but zero substance when it comes to transfers. We have not heard from anyone.”
Despite adding Kehrer and Nayef Aguerd to their ranks in the off-season, West Ham remain in the market for defensive reinforcements amid doubts over Craig Dawson’s future in claret-and-blue.
The struggling Hammers reportedly like New York Red Bulls skipper Aaron Long. 20-year-old Luizao, meanwhile, is expected to arrive on a free from Sao Paulo in Brazil.
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