West Ham express ‘concrete interest’ in signing Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Aleix Garcia

West Ham United have expressed ‘concrete interest’ in signing Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Aleix Garcia this summer, according to Florian Plettenberg.

Three games, three defeats, 11 goals conceded, and just days of the transfer window left. Pressure is on Graham Potter after what has been a really underwhelming eight months in charge at the London Stadium.

While reinforcements have been made, they still look short of options in midfield, which was yet again exposed in the 3-2 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the second round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday night.

Considering their form and their urgent need for positive results, a more experienced midfielder with significant top-flight experience would be pivotal to their upturn in performances and results.

One of the options being considered is Garcia, according to Plettenberg, who claims that West Ham have expressed a ‘concrete interest’ in signing the Spanish midfielder this summer.

The German transfer expert adds that the East London outfit have now made contact with Leverkusen for the transfer of Garcia to the London Stadium before the transfer deadline.

While no formal offer has been submitted yet, Plettenberg claims that possible figures to formalise the deal are being discussed with the Bundesliga club, who are demanding a fee in the region of £17m to allow him to depart the BayArena this summer.

‘Concrete interest’

Garcia’s time at Bayer Leverkusen has been something of a rollercoaster since making the switch from Girona last summer. A key figure under Xabi Alonso — who once described him as ‘outstanding’—the midfielder featured 42 times across all competitions in the previous campaign, contributing five goals and four assists.

The 28-year-old made the move to Germany with a glowing reputation, having shone at Girona, where he had cemented his place as one of La Liga’s standout midfielders.

However, despite starting in the 2-1 loss to Hoffenheim, he doesn’t appear to be part of Erik ten Hag’s plans, with the club reportedly pursuing a move for Al Qadsiah’s Equi Fernández to bolster their midfield ranks.

Hence, West Ham are looking to pounce on this situation by making a swoop for the midfielder who has amassed significant experience, having played close to 200 games across LaLiga, Bundesliga, Jupiler Pro League, and Superliga.

The Hammers will travel to the City Ground on Sunday to face Nottingham Forest in what could be a make-or-break game for Graham Potter, who cannot afford to lose four games in a row.