West Ham United have expressed interest in signing VfL Bochum midfielder Cajetan Lenz, according to Florian Plettenberg.
Following their dreadful defensive record, defenders may be seen as a target, but it also appears that new options in midfield are being assessed to add competition to Nuno’s squad.
Soungoutou Magassa has struggled for regular minutes since coming in, playing just 191 minutes of football since his move from Monaco last summer, with academy star Freddie Potts preferred over him.
The Hammers are looking to add more steel and depth to their midfield to aid their relegation fight and have now turned their attention to Lenz.
The 19-year-old made his first-team debut in August and has since been an indispensable presence in the middle of the park for the German club, making 15 appearances across all competitions, with his performances catching the eye.
According to Plettenberg, Lenz’s displays in the German second division have caught the attention of several clubs in the Bundesliga and Premier League, who have expressed concrete interest in signing him.
One of the clubs looking to sign him in the Premier League is West Ham, according to the journalist who claims that the East London side are closely monitoring the Germany U20 international ahead of a potential move to the London Stadium.
It appears the Hammers are already looking to accelerate efforts to sign the midfielder, as Plettenberg, citing Lenz’s agent Makram Naceur, confirms that several clubs have ‘made contact’ to sign the German, although he’s currently focused on Bochum this campaign.
Prospect
Mainly a defensive midfielder, the 6ft 2in star can also operate higher up the pitch, though Bochum coach Uwe Rösler has used him strictly in his preferred role throughout this campaign.
A developing talent with significant upside, such as Lenz, could be an excellent fit for the Hammers if they manage to push a deal through once the transfer window opens.
West Ham started the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth with a midfield pair of 22-year-old Potts and 21-year-old Mateus Fernandes.
With Tomáš Souček turning 32 when his contract expires and 31-year-old Guido Rodriguez facing an uncertain future at the club, the potential addition of Lenz could hand the Hammers a young and reliable midfield trio alongside Potts and Fernandes that possesses the required technicality and combativeness to anchor their midfield now and in the years ahead.
