LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 27: A general view inside the stadium as Neal Maupay of Brighton & Hove Albion scores their team's first goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion at London Stadium on December 27, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
West Ham United is in talks with former Sheffield United star John Egan, with a behind-closed-doors trial held. Manager Julen Lopetegui is looking for a new fourth-choice central defender after two of the team’s players, Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd, left on loan before last Friday’s summer transfer window closed. The new center-back, who was earning over £100,000-a-week at his previous club, is now available on a free transfer, and could be the team’s alternative.
The Irons board and technical director Tim Steidten have been forced to consider hiring free agents because the Spaniard’s only three senior alternatives for the core of his West Ham defense are Jean-Clair Todibo, Max Kilman, and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
ExWHUemployee, a club insider, claims that Egan is considered West Ham’s top option when it comes to center back recruitment after the Republic of Ireland international left Bramall Lane this summer.
According to Ex on The West Ham Way, “it looks that John Egan is getting close to signing for the club.”
But we think John Egan might be about to begin a trial with the team before making a possible transfer. It is believed that he will demonstrate his fitness in a private match in the coming days, and other players who are not on international service can hone theirs as well.
The friendly matchup between Dagenham and Redbridge is anticipated to take place tomorrow, Thursday. The Irish international is being given an opportunity to show why he is the right player, and the club hasn’t decided whether to move further with the signing or not. A contract will probably be provided later.
After six seasons with the team and 208 league games for the Blades, Sheffield United decided not to extend Egan’s contract. The 31-year-old was, nevertheless, much more of a bit-part player during his previous campaign, so it will be intriguing to see how West Ham views his trial from yesterday.
Should they decide against moving forward with a deal for Egan, they have Joel Matip, the former Liverpool defender, as a backup.
Joel Matip is offered a two-year deal by West Ham to join Lopetegui.
ExWHUemployee recently asserted that, even if Egan is the favorite, West Ham might yet sign Matip to a Bosman contract.
Following Matip’s departure from Liverpool, CaughtOffside now reports that West Ham has made the move to extend an offer of a two-year contract to him. The Cameroonian has a concerning injury history; last season, he missed 37 games as a result of a cruciate ligament damage.
The Premier League’s Leicester City, Fulham, and Bournemouth are also showing interest in Matip; nevertheless, the 33-year-old has not yet decided where he will play next despite Lopetegui’s efforts.
He was making almost £110,000 a week at Liverpool, and it’s unknown how much West Ham is willing to pay the MVP of the Champions League.
“I don’t think I have ever seen too many players who are more loved than Joel Matip in all the years that I have been involved in football,” stated former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
It’s doubtful if anything negative could be said about him.
“We have been fortunate to have him with us for as long as we have. He is a wonderful professional, a wonderful football player, and a wonderful human being. Now, all we can do is wish him well as he heads off in a new direction.”
According to other sources, West Ham has reportedly been offered the opportunity to sign Turkey international attacker Yusuf Yazici on a Bosman deal in addition to their pursuit of a free center-back.
