West Ham are among the clubs interested in Hertha Berlin defender Jordan Torunarigha, who is available for just €5 million.
Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg has recently tweeted an update on the future of Jordan Torunarigha. It appears the defender is set to leave Hertha Berlin in the summer. Gent have recently had a €2 million bid rejected by the Bundesliga outfit, who are holding out for a fee of €5 million.
West Ham United are believed to be one of the clubs interested in the services of Torunarigha and have lodged an enquiry for the 24-year-old. They are joined by VfL Wolfsburg in the chase, although it won’t be surprising to see other Bundesliga clubs enter the race.
A product of the Hertha Berlin youth academy, Torunarigha was regarded as one of the most gifted defenders to come out of the club’s youth setup. He has 81 competitive appearances for Hertha Berlin to his name, with the centre-back rated highly due to his dogged mentality and an imposing 1.91m physique.
However, during his time at Hertha, Torunarigha was never really able to fulfil his potential. He has often appeared inconsistent in his performances while injuries have not helped either. He did join Gent in January on a short-term loan deal, featuring in 14 appearances for the Belgian outfit.
The German performed relatively better in Jupiler Pro League and is now being linked with a return to Gent. Hertha Berlin, though, are holding out for a fee of €5 million, which should hand West Ham an excellent advantage.
The Hammers are currently in the market for defensive reinforcements amid uncertainty over the future of Issa Diop. Craig Dawson is into his thirties, whereas Angelo Ogbonna’s contract expires at the end of the month. Even if the Italian’s stay is extended, he is returning from a long-term injury. It has accentuated the need for a new defender, with West Ham notably being linked with a move for Michael Keane.
The Everton star, though, could cost a fortune and that is where Torunarigha comes into the fray. West Ham should be in a position to pay €5 million for the Hertha Berlin defender, although whether or not the investment could be a prudent one is anyone’s guess.
Torunarigha has not particularly won over his fans due to his inconsistency and injury woes in the Bundesliga. He might struggle further in performing in the Premier League. In any case, the German might favour a move within the Bundesliga, so West Ham’s pursuit of the defender could ultimately lead to a dead-end this summer.
