West Ham United could receive an answer on whether or not they will succeed in bringing former Chelsea loanee Denis Zakaria back to the Premier League by the end of this week.
While the Conference League champions rejected Arsenal’s latest bid for Declan Rice on Tuesday night – the Gunners stumping up an English-record £105 million fee for the coveted midfielder – the captain’s departure is starting to feel like a case of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’.
West Ham’s problems are with the ‘structure’ of Arsenal’s offer. There remains a confidence that both parties will eventually come to an agreement. Especially after Manchester City bowed out of contention (The Guardian).
As for Rice’s replacement, it’s fair to say finding a man capable of emulating his remarkably well-rounded skillset will be easier said than done.
Still, Zakaria feels like a potentially inspired piece of business. Yes, the Switzerland international started only five Premier League games for Chelsea in 2022/23. But he certainly possesses the blend of athleticism and technical ability required of anyone tasked with stepping into Rice’s considerable shoes.
Denis Zakaria could replace West Ham captain Declan Rice
26-year-old Zakaria was one of the finest box-to-box midfielders in the Bundesliga during his time at Borussia Monchengladbach.
“I’ve been compared to (Patrick) Vieira and (Paul) Pogba. Two more players I really respect. And, in a way, see as role models,” the one-time Liverpool target once told the Bundesliga website.
“When I watch videos of them, I think I’d like to play that way.”
Former Gladbach team-mate once likened Zakaria to French legends Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini too. The Juventus-owned enforcer might never reach that level. But first-team football at West Ham should offer him the opportunity to rebuild his reputation after a difficult couple of seasons impacted by injury and a lack of regular minutes.
Tuttomercatoweb report that Zakaria could make a decision ‘by the weekend’; West Ham ‘pressing’ for his signature.
Gianluca di Marzio adds that the Hammers have already held talks. It remains to be seen how much Juventus will demand. They would have asked for £26 from Chelsea if the Blues had opted to turn his loan into a permanent transfer.
Zakaria is currently under contract until 2026 in Turin. A departure feels likely after Adrien Rabiot signed a new deal this week. The Frenchman turned down Manchester United for the second summer in succession.
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