Yahoo Sports West Ham working on a deal to sign PSG midfielder Carlos Soler
West Ham United are working on a deal to sign Carlos Soler from Paris Saint-Germain, according to Spanish journalist Nacho Sanchis.
The reigning Ligue 1 champions have deemed the Spanish midfielder surplus to requirements, and West Ham are looking to pounce on the chance to lure him to East London.
Despite interest from other clubs, including Spanish side Real Sociedad and Premier League rivals Aston Villa, West Ham has emerged as the front-runner for Soler’s signature.
The 27-year-old is reportedly attracted by the prospect of becoming a key figure in Julen Lopetegui’s ambitious project and is keen on finalising a move away from the French capital.
While personal terms are expected to be a formality, West Ham are yet to agree a deal with PSG. Due to Profit and Sustainability concerns, the Hammers are studying several formulas for a potential deal.
There’s a decent chance they’d sign Soler on a loan deal with an obligation to buy, but that depends on potential exits in the coming days.
The Hammers have been one of the most active Premier League teams in the transfer market. They’ve made several eye-catching signings but must offload players to free up funds before making further additions.
Soler has also attracted interest from Saudi Pro League clubs, but his preference is to remain in Europe, which gives West Ham more leverage in their bid to land his signature.
West Ham do not need Soler
West Ham are already spoilt for choice in the middle of the park, so they do not need to go for an uninspiring player like Soler.
The Spaniard is neither a combative nor creative midfielder, evidenced by his paltry 44% success rate in ground duels and just two big chances created last season.
His average of 37.7 touches per 90 minutes also suggests he cannot be trusted to control the tempo of a game or dictate play, so the Hammers would be wise to turn their attention elsewhere.
West Ham already have Lucas Paqueta, Guido Rodriguez, James Ward-Prowse, and Tomas Soucek as midfield options.
They aren’t competing in Europe this season, so they don’t need a big squad. But if Lopetegui remains eager to bolster his options, there are other value-for-money targets in the market than Soler.
Stats from Sofascore.com
