West Ham fall short with opening offer for Chelsea reject as Moyes pushes for Rice replacement

West Ham United have reportedly fallen short with their first bid for Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria, as they look to bring in a replacement for Declan Rice.

The 26-year-old spent last season on loan with Chelsea. But, Mauricio Pochettino has no intention of signing him permanently.

However, it’s thought that Zakaria is keen on a return to the Premier League. So, West Ham have a genuine chance at bringing him in, if they can agree on a transfer fee.

Arsenal are said to have a full agreement in place with the Hammers for a £105m deal for Rice. So, David Moyes will have plenty of money to spend on a new midfielder.

As reported by TEAMtalk, Zakaria is considered to be one of the manager’s primary targets. And, the Hammers entered into a fresh round of talks with Juventus on Wednesday.

Last season, the Switzerland international made 11 appearances for Chelsea, scoring one goal. He put in a few good performances but was unable to tie down a regular spot in the Blues’ starting XI.

So, Zakaria will be hoping to have a bigger impact at West Ham, if they can reach an agreement with Juventus.

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West Ham fall short with opening Zakaria bid

According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, West Ham’s opening offer for Zakaria was ‘considered low’ by Juventus. The bid tabled is believed to be €18m (£15.3m), with another €3m in bonuses.

Juventus value the midfielder at €25m. So, the Hammers may have to significantly improve their offer if they want to get a deal done.

Although, Corriere dello Sport add that ‘the game is not over’ and another round of talks are expected between the two clubs in the near future.

From Zakaria’s point of view, he has reportedly ‘given a favourable opinion’ to joining the Hammers. And, he is ‘comforted by the idea of a five-year contract’ with wages similar to the ones he is currently getting at Juventus.

The midfielder currently earns a reported £63,580 weekly wage in Turin, which shouldn’t be a problem for West Ham.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if West Ham make an improved offer for Zakaria in the near future. Although, it’s worth noting that he isn’t the only midfielder Moyes has on his radar.

Indeed, Conor Gallagher is another potential option. Chelsea aren’t willing to sell him as it stands. But, if they bring in a couple of midfielders this summer, with negotiations ongoing for Moises Caicedo, Gabri Veiga and Rayan Cherki, Gallagher could be allowed to leave.

So, West Ham have plenty of options. But, they are still expected to come back with a fresh offer for Zakaria. Whether or not it will be successful, however, remains to be seen.

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