West Ham United are reportedly plotting a raid on Ligue 1 club Le Havre over a late winter move for Etienne Kinkoue.
According to a report by Daily Mail, Etienne Kinkoue is the subject of interest from West Ham United. The Hammers are in the market for a centre-back in the final hours of the winter transfer window. And they have set their sights on the 22-year-old Le Havre defender, who will cost around £10 million.
Who is Etienne Kinkoue?
Etienne Youte Kinkoue is the son of former Cameroonian attacker Etienne Kinkoue. A native of Lyon, he spent most of his formative years in France before joining Inter Milan in July 2019. But he has finally established a foothold on the first-team level after joining Le Havre in January 2023 following a short stint with Olympiacos.
But the 22-year-old is still not a regular, having managed less than 1,000 minutes in 11 outings across all competitions thus far this season. Nonetheless, Kinkoue’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs. One of his potential destinations might be West Ham United.
West Ham United Want Kinkoue
West Ham United bolstered the midfield and attack in the summer transfer window. But the Hammers need to add to their defensive resources this year amid uncertainties surrounding the future of Nayef Aguerd.
The Moroccan international faces an uncertain time at the London Stadium, and he wants to leave West Ham United in the winter transfer window. In addition, Angelo Ogbonna is well into his thirties and does not have a long-term future with the East London club. So, it behoves West Ham to invest in a centre-back.
Several centre-backs, including Trevoh Chalobah, have thus emerged on West Ham United’s radar. But Etienne Kinkoue is also an intriguing prospect for the Premier League club, considering he is only 22 years old and can be a long-term solution at the heart of the West Ham defence.
The Lyon native will not cost a bomb either, with Le Havre demanding only £10 million to part ways with him. It will be interesting to see if a new adventure in the Premier League beckons after his short stay in Ligue 1.
