West Ham United have reportedly launched a move to try and sign Danish full-back Jens Stryger Larsen from Serie A outfit Udinese.
According to a report from the print edition of Corriere dello Sport, as relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham United made their first move in pursuit of Udinese and Denmark defender Jens Stryger Larsen in the current transfer window.
Stryger Larsen started out at Brondby and had a short stint with Nordsjaelland before leaving Denmark to sign for Austria Vienna in 2014. After three years at the club, the right-back was picked up by Serie A outfit Udinese in the summer of 2017, where he has developed into a steady and reliable performer.
To date, Stryger Larsen has racked up 140 appearances for the Zebrette, scoring five goals and setting up eight more. A regular for the Denmark national team, the 30-year-old has 42 international caps to his name and was involved in the UEFA Euro 2020 where the Danes made it all the way to the semi-finals.
Stryger Larsen, however, has entered the final year of his contract with Udinese and looks set for a departure, with no renewal on offer. The 30-year-old has been linked with a move to Galatasaray but has snubbed the Turkish giants, leaving the door open for other clubs to swoop. And West Ham United have now made their move for the Dane, as per the report.
The Hammers are gearing themselves up for a busy summer as David Moyes & co. look to strengthen their squad ahead of the upcoming season during which they will be playing in Europe. So, quality and depth within the squad across all areas becomes a necessity for the London outfit as they look to make further progress domestically while hoping to go the distance in Europe.
West Ham, to that end, have been linked with a plethora of players, including Manchester United outcast Phil Jones and Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, among others. Now, Stryger Larsen has also emerged as a transfer target for the east London giants, who have made contact for the Dane.
A move for the 30-year-old, though, does not make a great deal of sense for West Ham. Moyes already has last season’s standout performer Vladimir Coufal as his first-choice right-back with Ryan Fredericks ready to provide cover. In addition, youngster Ben Johnson is also an option at the manager’s disposal.
However, Stryger Larsen is a versatile customer who can also play out on the left, at centre-back or even higher up the pitch on the wings. This flexibility and the experience he boasts could come in handy for the Irons in the coming season. It now remains to be seen if there is any progress made on his front or whether West Ham decide to focus their attention to other positions of need.
