Europa Conference League champions West Ham have reportedly identified Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria as the replacement for the departing Declan Rice.
The 26-year-old Swizterland international spent last season on loan at Chelsea after struggling with game time in Turin. However, his loan move to Chelsea did not go to plan, as he made just eleven appearances for the Blues.
Zakaria only moved to Juventus in 2022 after enjoying success at Borussia Monchengladbach. But he made 13 appearances for the Serie A side that season before he was loaned out to Chelsea.
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The Stamford Bridge side had the option to sign Zakaria on a permanent at the end of the campaign, but they have decided against that.
That has left Zakaria, who is contracted at Juventus until 2026, in limbo as the Old Lady want to sell him permanently this summer.
According to Sportsmail, West Ham have added him to the list of potential signings once the exit of Declan Rice is confirmed.
Arsenal are leading the race to sign the West Ham captain this summer, though the Hammers expect Man City to come in with a bid for the England international.
Meanwhile, West Ham are also targeting Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez and Fulham’s Joao Palhinha. However, deals for both players have been considered difficult to achieve.
Palhinha, in particular, could be difficult to achieve given Fulham want £90million for the midfielder.
