West Ham United want ‘excellent’ defender again after failing to sign him last year

Follow us on Google Discover

West Ham United are back in the hunt for Stuttgart central defender Dan-Axel Zagadou having missed out on him last year.

The Hammers spent on one Stuttgart defender over the summer as Konstantinos Mavropanos made a move to East London.

The Greek centre back has yet to really make a big impact at West Ham but David Moyes and co could target another defender.

West Ham sit eighth but have already conceded 30 goals this season; no team outside of the bottom three have conceded more.

Moyes may want to tighten up at the back and a familiar name is now back on his radar…

West Ham United interested in signing Dan-Axel Zagadou

The Sun now claim that West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd is wanted by Lyon with a potential loan-to-buy deal in the pipeline.

Aguerd is allegedly finding the physical side of English football a little difficult to handle and make fancy a move back to France having only left Rennes in 2022.

Moyes wants to keep the Algerian but may sanction a departure if he can find a replacement.

The man in mind for West Ham is Stuttgart defender Dan-Axel Zagadou, with Moyes allegedly sending scouts to watch him.

Zagadou fits the bill as a left-footed centre back, just like Aguerd, and is a huge defender at around 6ft 6in tall.

That would be a totally different physical presence to Aguerd and West Ham could finally pounce for the French defender…

West Ham wanted Zagadou last year

Zagadou left Borussia Dortmund at the end of his contract in 2022 and spent some time as a free agent.

RMC Sport reported in September 2022 that West Ham were closing in on signing Zagadou outside of the transfer window.

Zagadou instead decided to join another Bundesliga club, completing a move to Stuttgart.

Now a key part of an impressive Stuttgart side, Zagadou appears to be back on West Ham’s wish list ahead of the January window.

Hailed as an ‘excellent’ defender by former Dortmund boss Marco Rose, Zagadou could finally make his way to Esat London – but much will depend on the future of Aguerd.