Leicester City and West Ham are among the clubs keeping tabs on Mainz defender Jeremiah St. Juste, who is one of the fastest players in the Bundesliga.
According to SportBild journalist Christian Falk, Mainz are facing a battle to keep hold of Jeremiah St. Juste this summer. The defender has emerged as a top target for several clubs across Europe, with Premier League clubs West Ham United and Leicester City involved in the race, along with Borussia Dortmund.
A product of the Heerenveen youth academy, St. Juste joined Mainz in 2019, in a deal worth €8 million. It was quite a big investment for a club like Mainz, but it has paid off as the Dutchman has been able to repay the favour with his impressive performances in the Bundesliga.
A centre-back by trade, St. Juste is a very athletic operator. Clocking at 36.63 km/h, he is even the fastest player in the Bundesliga this season and one of the fastest in Europe. In addition to his speed, the 25-year-old is versatile enough to play at right-back and often thrives in ground or aerial duels.
Leicester City are one of many teams who have been left impressed by St. Juste’s impressive outings in the Bundesliga. The Foxes are scouring the market for defensive reinforcements in the summer, amid uncertainty over the future of the underperforming Jannik Vestergaard, who has emerged as a target for Everton.
Brendan Rodgers may also need to prepare for life without Jonny Evans, who is already in the final phase of his career. One would expect St. Juste to be an ideal long-term replacement given his defensive commitment and speed that could tune in well to the pace of the Premier League.
Another potential destination for the Dutchman could be West Ham. The Hammers are in the market for a new defender that can offer competition for Kurt Zouma and Craig Dawson next season. The club have struggled with the absence of Angelo Ogbonna throughout the campaign, whereas Issa Diop’s future at London Stadium is far from secure.
Jeremiah St. Juste could be an ideal option for David Moyes as he has the pace and technicality to complement the more robust nature of Zouma. He isn’t the only Bundesliga defender to be linked with a move to West Ham, though, with the Hammers also reportedly targeting 1. FC Koln’s rising star Timo Hubers.
Even St. Juste’s Mainz teammate Moussa Niakhate has emerged as an option for Moyes, so it will be interesting to see how the Londoners approach the market this summer.
