West Ham United could look to bring in Celtic and Croatia right-back Josip Juranovic if Bayer Leverkusen firm up their interest in Vladimir Coufal in the January transfer window.
According to 90min, Josip Juranovic is on West Ham United’s radar ahead of the January transfer window. But the Hammers will only make a move for the Celtic defender if they offload Vladimir Coufal, who is courted by German side Bayer Leverkusen.
After spending over £170 million in the summer on eight new signings, it was only natural that West Ham fans were hopeful, excited, and expectant, having watched their team battle for the top six and shine in Europe for the last couple of seasons.
But this time around, things are not going according to plan for the Hammers, who are struggling to live up to loftier expectations after two years of fast-track progression. And there have been some question marks over David Moyes’s future as they currently sit at 16th in the Premier League table.
The fact that West Ham’s slump can be traced back a full year and that they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Championship club Blackburn Rovers’ second-string side doesn’t quite help the Scottish manager’s cause. Their spotless UEFA Europa Conference League campaign has been the only silver lining of the season so far.
Dark clouds have started to hang over Moyes’s head of late, and should West Ham continue to struggle post-World Cup, he will come under more scrutiny. That said, the Hammers’ board are clearly willing to give Moyes the time to turn things around, and will back him in the winter market.
Moyes desperately needs to bring a new right-back to the London Stadium in January, with Vladimir Coufal and Ben Johnson clearly not pulling their weight. Meanwhile, academy star Harrison Ashby is closing in on a move to Newcastle United.
Juranovic is exactly the kind of player Moyes needs to add to his ranks, and the 27-year-old would be a massive upgrade on Coufal and Johnson. He has proven to be a successful signing for the Hoops, directly contributing to nine goals from right-back in 50 competitive appearances.
The Celtic defender has also established himself as a key player at the international level and has played full 90s in both of Croatia’s World Cup group stage games. He is contracted until the summer of 2026 at Parkhead, and Celtic will likely command a significant fee if any suitors come calling. The report adds that any West Ham approach for Juranovic hinges on the future of Coufal.
The 30-year-old is not having the same influence he previously had during his first couple of seasons at the club. And West Ham are willing to cash in on him if the right offer arrives on the table, with Bayer Leverkusen mulling over the prospect of making a January swoop for the Czech Republic international.
Juranovic has been linked with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, and Atletico Madrid. So it would be a bit of a coup if West Ham could manage to get the Croatian international through the door ahead of the aforementioned competition.
