West Ham United reportedly wanted Udinese’s Seko Fofana in January.
West Ham United brought in one midfielder in the January transfer window as Tomas Soucek arrived from Slavia Prague, but another option may still be pursued this summer.
Soucek will help Mark Noble and Declan Rice in midfield, and the addition of the giant Czech ace goes to show how David Moyes wants more athleticism in his engine room.
Another target was Udinese ace Seko Fofana, with Tuttomercatoweb reporting that West Ham were keen to sign the Ivorian the January window.
A fee of around €18million (£15million) was mentioned, but no deal went through – and Fofana is now earning huge praise over in Italy.
The 24-year-old endured a difficult campaign under Igor Tudor, but has thrived since Luca Gotti’s arrival, bagging one goal and three assists in his last nine outings.
Mondo Udinese carry the pages from Gazzetta Dello Sport, comparing Fofana to his compatriot and former Manchester City teammate Yaya Toure, believing that his renewed form has taken him closer to the level of his idol.
The report notes that Fofana’s dribbling numbers – 2.4 a game – are among the best in Italian football, and that’s why he is viewed as being similar to Toure as he can glide through midfield.
Fofana was unable to make the grade at City before his 2016 move Udinese, and if we’re being realistic, he is unlikely to ever really reach Toure’s level.
Toure – a title-winner and former favourite of ex-Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini at City – was a world star, and Fofana may not reach those levels, but he could provide another box-to-box option for West Ham if they go back for him again this summer.
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