Report: Club will let £32k-a-week ace join Wolves or West Ham for free

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Premier League duo Wolves and West Ham United can sign Niklas Stark on a free transfer this summer with Bundesliga strugglers Hertha Berlin set to release the centre-half, as reported by Kicker. 

David Moyes admitted in January that defensive reinforcements were high on his list of demands. One suspects he would have been a little disappointed, then, to see the winter window close without a new centre-back arriving at the London Stadium.

After all, Moyes has just three first-team centre-backs at his disposal right now. One of those, Issa Diop, could leave the capital club in the summer with Ligue 1 outfit Lyon interested (L’Equipe).

And it remains to be seen whether Angelo Ogbonna, who turns 34 in May, can rediscover his pre-injury form after months on the sidelines after a cruciate ligament rupture. 

• READ MORE: Fulham’s XI if they kept their top stars

It’s no surprise, then, that West Ham have been linked with a number of talented ball-winners in recent weeks. Sheffield United colossus John Egan, Lille’s Sven Botman and long-term target Duje Caleta-Car are just three of them.

The Hammers are reported to have offered former Liverpool veteran Dejan Lovren a two-year deal at the London Stadium too. 

Stark, meanwhile, finds himself back on West Ham’s wishlist with his contract expiring in a matter of weeks. 

Is Niklas Stark heading to the Premier League?

Sport1 claimed a couple of months ago that Moyes is a big fan of the twice-capped Germany international. West Ham also held talks with Stark regarding a potential January move to England.  

Now, with an underachieving Hertha Berlin side looking to trim their wage bill, Kicker reports that the club’s long-serving vice-captain ‘definitely’ will not be offered a contract extension at the Olimpiastadion.

Stark is reportedly one of the club’s highest earners on £32,000-a-week. 

• READ MORE: Sheffield United’s XI if they kept their top stars

Berliner Kurier claims that, in addition to West Ham, Stark also has admirers at Molineux.

Bruno Lage, like Moyes, admitted that he wanted a new defender in January. Romain Saiss could leave Wolves on a free transfer in July while Fernando Marcal has already agreed a move to Brazilian outfit Botafogo.