West Ham United made an approach for Atalanta’s Serie A playmaker Teun Koopmeiners on Monday as the Premier League outfit look for midfield reinforcements, as reported by TuttoAtalanta.
There are worse ways to start a week.
The Toffees swept away those Monday blues by unveiling the signing of former Wolves captain Conor Coady; One of the division’s most reliable central defenders arriving to strengthen the league’s most unreliable central defence.
And a £35 million midfield powerhouse in the shape of Amadou Onana won’t be far behind.
The 6ft 5ins Lille giant was in the crowd at Goodison Park for Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea. And coach Frank Lampard indicated post-match that a deal is close to being completed (Standard).
And Everton’s gain looks like being West Ham’s loss.
The Hammers agreed a £35 million fee with Onana last week before the deal hit the buffers over problematic personal terms. And, with Plan B Ibrahim Sangare signing a new deal with PSV Eindhoven, West Ham are having to cast their net wider than ever.
West Ham turn to Teun Koopmeiners as Everton land Amadou Onana
That is not to say Koopmeiners should be seen as a desperate last resort.
TuttoAtalanta say that West Ham enquired about the Dutch international on Monday. Agreeing a transfer would be easier said than done, however, given Koopmeiners’ importance to the Atalanta project. The former AZ Alkmaar skipper only arrived in a £12 million deal in August 2021.
A natural-born leader at the age of just 24, Koopmeiners has more class than a Michelin star menu at a George Clooney dinner party. Left footed and a master of set-pieces, he is equally comfortable in the centre of the park or when dropping into defence. His tactical flexibility would allow David Moyes to switch from a four to a three-man central defence with ease, while easing the burden on Declan Rice or the overworked Tomas Soucek.
West Ham’s answer to Toni Kroos?
“The AZ captain Teun Koopmeiners, a left-footed centre back who can sit in midfield, is probably the best player in Holland in defensive areas,” former Hammers boss Alan Pardew told The Mail during his short-lived spell at ADO Den Hag.
And Koopmeiners’ agent – albeit with some rather obvious bias – had a point when he drew comparisons between his client and some of Europe’s finest deep-lying playmakers.
“A player with fantastic game vision, excellent passing, powerful, quality and a natural leader. (A player) who is truly consistent in quality and mentality,” Bert Baving said.
“For a coach, he is the perfect athlete to work with. An exemplary professional.
“It’s always difficult to make comparisons but he’s a Toni Kroos, Jorginho, (Nemanja) Matic or (Manuel) Locatelli-type. Only Teun will score more goals than any of these players.”
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