West Ham United have reportedly set their sights on in-form Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi as a long-term replacement for contract rebel Declan Rice.
According to a report from Calciomercato, as relayed by GIVE ME SPORT, West Ham United have joined the likes of Juventus and AS Roma in the chase for midfielder Davide Frattesi, with Sassuolo willing to cash in on him if their £30 million asking price is met.
England international midfielder Declan Rice has been immense for David Moyes’ side for three seasons now, but that scintillating consistency has not gone unnoticed, with the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea keen to sign him.
With the 23-year-old also not keen on putting pen to paper on an extension, having already rejected an eye-watering eight-year contract last summer, the Irons may well have their work cut out for them to keep their prized midfielder at the London Stadium.
The England international is under contract with West Ham until the summer of 2024, and the club have the option to extend that deal by a further 12 months.
It seems as though the Hammers won’t be able to tie him down to new terms, and it’s more a matter of when and for how much than whether a top gun arrives on the negotiating table to snap him up. So, finding an appropriate replacement will be the main priority for David Moyes over the course of the next 12 months or so.
Meanwhile, Tomas Soucek’s concerning form means adding another midfielder is a must for the Irons in the upcoming transfer windows.
The 23-year-old Italian midfielder, Frattesi, will be an interesting option. He came into the limelight last season after returning from three straight loan spells in Serie B, garnering 35 league starts before making the progression into the first team this season with four goals in 15 Serie A games, establishing himself as a key player for the Italian outfit.
His rapid rise means he has forced his way into Roberto Mancini’s Italian national team squad as well, and he even earned his first senior international cap for the Azzurri in June. He has since started in crucial UEFA Nations League fixtures against Germany and England, helping his country top their group to secure a place in the semi-finals of that competition.
Frattesi’s current contract at the Mapei Stadium runs until 2026, handing Sassuolo all the leverage in the negotiations, and with Roma’s interest already established, that asking price may not be an unrealistic demand.
It’s easy to see why West Ham are courting the highly talented midfielder as a possible Rice replacement. Although Fratessi is a box-to-box midfielder, he ranks very highly for goal-scoring, dribble, and ball-progression metrics amongst other midfielders in his position.
He has also caught the eye defensively with around 1.6 tackles and 1.5 clearances per game. He certainly needs to work on his distribution skills, but it needs to be noted that he is playing for a Sassuolo team that is more transitional than possession-heavy and sits 15th in Serie A.
The report adds that the player himself is keen on a return to the Italian capital with Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma, having previously spent time in the Giallorossi’s youth ranks. So, Moyes will have some convincing work to do in order to bring the youngster to the London Stadium.
