West Ham United have officially let centre-back Kurt Zouma leave for free following the expiry of his contract this summer. He is one of several players exiting the London Stadium.
The Hammers are also reportedly ready to listen to offers for defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, who has been severely underwhelming since moving to East London.
Unsurprisingly, West Ham have been linked to several defenders this summer as the club looks to bolster its rearguard ahead of next season. There is a new name in the rumour mill.
According to Tuttosport, West Ham have made a ‘survey’ on the situation of Juventus defender Tiago Djalo, although they face competition from Crystal Palace.
Per the report, the Premier League is a priority for the Portuguese defender, who wants to leave Juventus after a year with the Old Lady. He is no longer in their plans.
Djalo struggled to get into the Juventus first team, even when they had a dearth of options at the back due to injuries.
He went on loan to FC Porto, where he also underwhelmed, making only eight appearances. The Portuguese giants sent him back to Juve.
It appears West Ham are now sniffing around the goods as the club looks to bolster its fledgling backline. However, is Djalo even worth the punt for the Irons?
Former Sporting Lisbon coach Tiago Fernandes hailed Djalo as an excellent player and highlighted his remarkable speed, which helps him hold a high defensive line.
However, West Ham need to look at other targets, in our opinion. Djalo is not worth the fuss.
Why should the club be in the mix for a centre-half who failed to perform in two different leagues?
The 25-year-old does not move the needle for West Ham. Even when he did well at Lille, Juventus’ swoop was mainly a ploy to profit on his head as he was a free agent.
There are more exciting names in the market that will bolster the West Ham squad, and Djalo is not one of them. Next!