Everton reject West Ham United bid for Michael Keane

West Ham United’s offer to sign Michael Keane on loan from Everton has not hit the spot, with the Toffees reportedly rejecting the proposal.

According to a report by The Sun, Michael Keane is the subject of interest from West Ham United over a possible loan move in the ongoing transfer window. But Everton will unlikely sell the English defender amid a crisis at Goodison Park following the setbacks suffered by Yerry Mina and Ben Godfrey.

Michael Keane was one of the most highly-rated centre-backs in England when he was progressing through the ranks at Manchester United in his youth career. But the 29-year-old never managed to establish a foothold in the first-team squad at Old Trafford, with the Red Devils sending him out on five loan spells.

Keane finally found a stable footing at Burnley before joining Everton half a decade ago. But the English international, who has turned out nearly 200 times for the Merseyside club, has blown hot and cold at Goodison Park, with his performances being underwhelming. Despite that, Keane remains popular in the transfer market, with West Ham United keen on signing him this summer.

The interest from the Hammers stems from Nayef Aguerd’s early setback as a West Ham United player. The Moroccan international arrived at the London Stadium from Stade Rennais earlier this summer but will miss several weeks of action after sustaining a long-term ankle injury that might force him to miss the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

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Aguerd’s absence has left David Moyes with Kurt Zouma as the only available centre-back at his disposal following Issa Diop’s move to Fulham. With Angelo Ogbonna well into his thirties and yet to return from a long-term knee injury and Craig Dawson out injured, the West Ham boss needs a new central defender in his squad.

Michael Keane has thus emerged as a viable target for West Ham, who recently submitted an enquiry for the Everton defender. The Hammers have proposed a loan deal to sign Keane, only for Everton to reject the offer. After all, the Toffees are in a similar position as West Ham, with Yerry Mina and Ben Godfrey picking up long-term injuries in the opening week of the 2022/23 season.

Like West Ham, Everton will look to sign a centre-back in the last three weeks of the summer transfer window despite signing Conor Coady. Meanwhile, another Everton defender Mason Holgate is on West Ham’s radar. And it will be interesting to see if one of the Merseyside club’s players departs from Goodison Park to move to the London Stadium this summer.