West Ham United are the front-runners in the pursuit of Jamaican international Richard King amidst interest from Aston Villa and Newcastle United.
According to a report from HITC, Richard King could soon make a move to England as top clubs are closely monitoring his progress in the Jamaican Premier League. Aston Villa and Newcastle United are keen on his signature. But West Ham United are believed to be the ones leading the race for his signature.
King currently plays for Cavalier FC; he has featured in over 70 matches for their first team and has made quite a name for himself with his consistent performances in the heart of the defence. The 22-year-old centre-back has already featured in 19 matches for the Jamaican national team, and he is considered to be a huge prospect.
The 6ft 1in centre-back is on the wishlist of multiple top clubs in England, and he could soon be seen plying his trade the Premier League. Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are one of the clubs interested in the young centre-back. They hope to link him up with his Jamaica teammate Leon Bailey. Emery loves working with versatile players, and King could be a great fit in his system.
Newcastle United are also keen on his signature. While Marc Guehi remains their top target to reinforce the backline, they are also looking at King as they seek a new right-footed defender who can replace Fabian Schar in the long run.
West Ham leading the race to sign King
While both Aston Villa and Newcastle United are have been keeping a close eye on Richard King, West Ham are the favourites to secure his services. They are best placed to sign Michail Antonio’s international teammate. The Hammers already have Jean-Clair Todibo on their bench, with Konstantinos Mavropanos and Max Kilman the preferred choice under Julen Lopetegui.
It is a surprise to see that they still seek another centre-back. But it might be because King can feature anywhere across the backline as he is comfortable with either foot and can even step into a defensive midfield role when needed. They might be looking at him as an investment for the future and a solid rotation option for now.
