West Ham United are reportedly weighing up the prospect of signing German defender Thilo Kehrer from PSG late in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by London Evening Standard, Thilo Kehrer is the subject of interest from West Ham United over a possible late move in the ongoing transfer window. The Paris Saint-Germain defender will replace Fulham-bound Issa Diop if he arrives at the London Stadium from Paris Saint-Germain.
Thilo Kehrer spent his formative years with four German clubs before graduating from the Schalke 04 academy over half a dozen years ago. The 25-year-old was one of the most highly-rated young defenders in his homeland in 2016, and he joined Paris Saint-Germain after two years in the Schalke first team. But the German international has blown hot and cold since joining PSG in August 2018.
Kehrer has been unable to nail down a spot in the first-team squad at Parc des Princes, turning out 127 times thus far for PSG. But the player faces an uncertain future at the French club, with Les Parisiens reportedly open to cashing in on him this summer. Such a situation has captured the attention of West Ham United.
West Ham bolstered the central defensive unit by securing the services of Nayef Aguerd several weeks ago. The Moroccan international also featured in the Hammers’ pre-season campaign. But an unfortunate ankle injury has sidelined the 26-year-old for nearly three months, putting his participation in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in doubt.
At the same time, it has put West Ham in a spot of bother, as Kurt Zouma is the only recognised centre-back fit and available. While Issa Diop was also at David Moyes’s disposal, the French defender asked the West Ham boss to excuse him from matchday duty for the defeat to Manchester City, with a move to Fulham on the cards.
With Craig Dawson and Angelo Ogbonna on the sidelines apart from Aguerd, the Hammers need to bolster their central defensive unit as soon as possible. Several centre-backs have thus emerged on West Ham’s radar, including Attila Szalai, Dan-Axel Zagadou, and Mason Holgate. And Kehrer is also a viable target for West Ham, who will prioritise signing the PSG defender this month.
West Ham considered signing Conor Coady this summer. But the Wolverhampton Wanderers captain is on the verge of joining Everton, thus forcing the east Londoners to set their sights on Kehrer. And with PSG unlikely to stand in the German defender’s way, a summer move to West Ham could be on the cards for the player.
