West Ham United are set to renew their interest in Ola Aina in January, with Crystal Palace and Leeds United also in the race for the 26-year-old.
As per The Punch, West Ham United are considering a move for Torino wing-back Ola Aina. The Hammers tried their hand at bringing the defender back to the Premier League in the summer but failed in the process. Crystal Palace and Leeds United also want to sign the former Fulham wing-back from the Serie A club.
David Moyes has not had the desired season so far as the Hammers have failed to replicate their form from the last two seasons. Relegation is looming large on the horizon, and the West Ham manager needs some much-needed reinforcements to freshen up his squad.
Ola Aina is quite familiar with the pros and cons of the Premier League, having been at Chelsea academy for a long time. The England-born Nigerian international failed to impress his superiors at the west London club and subsequently joined Serie A club Torino in 2019.
His versatility is something which Moyes would be cashing in as the wing-back is capable of playing on both flanks. In addition, he can also be useful at the heart of the West Ham defence. Their summer outlay could force their hand, and they need to offload a few to balance their funds. Aina is currently nursing an injury but is expected to return to training next month.
His current contract runs down in the summer, so the 26-year-old will be available for a cheap price. The player is keen on a London switch and a deal could be reached. Meanwhile, another London club Crystal Palace are said to be interested in signing the player from Serie A club Torino.
Joel Ward and Nathaniel Clyne are on the wrong side of their thirties, and Patrick Vieira is looking for a much younger player to be able to cope with his current system. Palace have also been linked with a move for Manchester United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka. And it seems they are desperate to sign another full-back in January.
Leeds United are also interested in a move for the defender, and they might launch an audacious swoop for the wing-back. He has been involved in 10 matches in the Serie A, scoring one goal along the way. With Stuart Dallas and Junior Firpo out injured, the Whites are pretty thin in the full-back department. And Aina could prove to be very useful.
Luke Ayling does not seem to have much of a future at Elland Road, and he could pave the way for Aina. Meanwhile, Leeds have also shown interest in several other full-backs, including Wan-Bissaka, who seems to be on the radars of West Ham and Crystal Palace.
Torino won’t block his move, as the Serie A club will be willing to gain some money by agreeing on a deal for the 26-year-old in January rather than losing him for free next summer. A bid is yet to be tabled, but West Ham are confident they will be able to beat Crystal Palace and Leeds to Aina.
