West Ham United are reportedly planning to make a ‘concrete’ approach to sign AC Milan star Ruben Loftus-Cheek, as per Caught Offside.
The 29-year-old was regarded as a top prospect during the early stages of his career; however, he hasn’t been able to reach his full potential due to persistent injury problems.
The Englishman joined the Rossoneri from Chelsea a couple of years ago, starting regularly in his debut campaign. However, he struggled to find regular game time last term owing to fitness problems, making only 10 Serie A starts.
He has been featuring regularly during the early stages of this season under new manager Massimiliano Allegri, scoring a solitary goal in five appearances across all competitions.
However, Caught Offside claim that Loftus-Cheek’s current situation at Milan is uncertain, and a few Premier League clubs are looking to sign him by taking advantage of that.
The Englishman has entered the final two years of his current contract, but Allegri’s side aren’t looking to hand him a fresh term yet. Instead, they are willing to wait and see how he performs over the coming months before making the final decision.
Loftus-Cheek to West Ham
If they eventually opt not to give him a new deal, they would likely want to cash-in on him next year to avoid losing him for free. Newcastle United and Aston Villa are interested in signing him and have been monitoring his situation.
However, West Ham are in this race as well and are prepared to make ‘concrete’ approaches to purchase Loftus-Cheek, who is valued at around £9m by Transfermarkt.
The 6ft 3in tall midfielder is a versatile player as he can play anywhere across the middle of the park. He has Premier League experience, so he could be a shrewd acquisition for the Hammers should they purchase him.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the East London club eventually make a formal move to lure him away from San Siro Stadium next year.
Meanwhile, West Ham have endured a dire start to this season, winning only one out of five Premier League games and sitting in the relegation zone.
