West Ham United are reportedly ‘keen’ on signing Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Aleix García, as per transfer journalist Graeme Bailey.
The 28-year-old came into the spotlight after displaying impressive performances for Girona in the 2023/24 campaign. The Spaniard guided his team to qualify for the Champions League by finishing in the top four.
Having been impressed by the midfielder, the German side decided to purchase him last summer. However, he wasn’t a regular starter in Xabi Alonso’s starting XI last term, making 21 starts in the Bundesliga and Champions League. Still, he managed to make nine goal contributions across all competitions.
On TBR Football, Bailey says that West Ham are considering signing a new midfielder, and Mateus Fernandes of Southampton is the primary target. They even launched a formal proposal to secure his service, but the Saints have slapped a big price tag on his head.
Therefore, the East London club have started exploring alternative options and are ‘keen’ on signing García. So, they could make a concrete approach to lure him away from BayArena this summer.
Having joined Leverkusen last summer, the Spaniard, valued at around £17m by Transfermarkt, still has four years left in his current contract. So, the German side are likely to demand a sizable amount of money to let him leave.
Garcia to West Ham
Garcia was previously on the books of Manchester City and played a handful of games in the Premier League. Therefore, he is familiar with the physicality of English football. However, the midfielder never managed to flourish in his career at the Etihad Stadium.
He is a deep-lying playmaker by trait but is also comfortable in the box-to-box role. The former Girona star is a technically sound player and is capable of playing threading passes between the lines; moreover, he has an eye for long-range passing.
The Hammers currently have Guido Rodríguez, Edson Álvarez, Tomas Soucek, and James Ward-Prowse as the midfield options. Andy Irving can also provide cover in this position if needed, but hasn’t been able to play regularly for Potter’s side in recent times.
Therefore, West Ham are planning to sign a new midfielder, and Garcia could be a shrewd acquisition as he is an experienced player. However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the East London club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his service before the end of this transfer window.
