West Ham United are reportedly interested in a move for AS Roma winger Justin Kluivert after they were turned down by Villarreal’s Arnaut Danjuma.
Arnaut Danjuma had a solid debut season with Villarreal, helping them reach the Champions League semi-finals. The Dutchman’s performances caught David Moyes’s attention, but he has seemingly rejected an offer from the Hammers.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t The Guardian), West Ham United are set to give up their hopes of signing Arnaut Danjuma and instead try to poach Justin Kluivert from AS Roma.
Kluivert, 23, spent the last season on loan at OGC Nice, where he registered six goals and provided as many assists in 31 appearances in all competitions. With his loan expired, he returned to Roma earlier this summer.
While the Dutchman’s future under Jose Mourinho remains unclear, Roma are ready to listen to offers for him at around €12 to €13million, the report adds.
Justin Kluivert to West Ham United – A smart signing?
West Ham have enjoyed a steady summer transfer window, completing deals for Nayef Aguerd, Alphonse Areola and Flynn Downes so far. David Moyes hopes to add more players to his squad as he looks to help the Hammers break into the top four next term.
After reinforcing the defensive and midfield options, Moyes has turned his attention to beefing up his forward line. Along with signing a striker to compete with Michail Antonio, Andriy Yarmolenko’s release at the end of last season has left a spot vacant in the attacking unit that Moyes intends to fill. And he has set his sights on Justin Kluivert, who has returned to Roma following a satisfactory loan spell with Nice.
Kluivert enjoyed a productive season with OGC Nice, averaging 1.1 shots, 1.3 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game in Ligue 1. A good dribbler with the ball at his feet and an innate ability to find half-spaces behind the defenders, the 23-year-old can be potent in the final third. He was even tidy with his distribution after completing 76.3% of his attempted passes (stats courtesy: whoscored).
The ex-Ajax man will inject more quality into Moyes’ attacking unit in the coming seasons if West Ham can manage to get a deal done. He would compete with the likes of Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals, Nikola Vlasic and Jarrod Bowen for a place in the starting XI, whilst improving the Hammers’ squad depth. At 23, Kluivert’s best years are ahead of him, so he will enhance the quality of Moyes’ squad that wants to compete for a place in the Champions League.
Hence, Kluivert could turn out to be a brilliant long-term investment for the Irons.
