OGC Nice defender Flavius Daniliuc has emerged as a transfer target for West Ham, with David Moyes keen on shoring up his defensive options.
According to The Athletic, West Ham are determined to bulk up their defensive options in January after struggling with a myriad of injury woes during the first half of the campaign. One of the players they are targeting is Flavius Daniliuc.
The centre-back currently plies his trade at OGC Nice. But he has been a part of some of the most-interesting youth teams in Europe, including Real Madrid and Bayern Munich setup, as well as the two Austrian talent factories in Rapid Wien and FC Liefering.
Standing at 1.88m, Daniliuc joined Nice in the summer of 2020 on a free transfer of Bayern. Often labelled as ” the bodybuilder”, the 20-year-old has a strong physique and is among Nice’s most physically astute defenders.
With just ten appearances in Ligue 1 this season, Daniliuc is far from being a first-team regular for the French giants. However, his majestic fitness and athleticism appear to have put West Ham on red alert, with the Premier League outfit reportedly considering the youngster as a potential replacement for Angelo Ogbonna.
The former Juventus star was a victim of a serious knee injury that has kept him out on the sidelines. It has created a massive void in West Ham’s defensive unit, leaving David Moyes desperate for a new face in the defensive unit.
The Hammers have been linked with a move for a handful of options this season, including Liverpool outcast Nathaniel Phillips, who is valued at around £15 million in January. They are also in the market for LOSC Lille’s defensive stalwart Sven Botman, although the Dutchman is also a target for Chelsea.
In Daniliuc, though, Moyes could find himself a like-for-like replacement for the injured Ogbonna or even Kurt Zouma. As mentioned earlier, the 20-year-old is all about his physique, and he could thus prove to be a useful defensive outlet for the team, especially in physical one-on-one duels.
However, it remains to be seen whether Nice have any intention to part ways with the talented Austrian centre-back. It has only been 18 months since he joined the club, but given his role as a bit-part player, the youngster certainly wouldn’t mind the opportunity of joining West Ham, with the Londoners prepared to offer him the platform to showcase his talents in the Premier League.
