West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing 22-year-old Canadian international Ismael Kone from Watford in the summer transfer window.
According to Ex-WHU Employee on the West Ham Way Podcast, Ismael Kone is the subject of interest from West Ham United. The Hammers are scouring the market for a midfielder heading into the summer transfer window amid uncertainties surrounding the future of Edson Alvarez. The 22-year-old Watford star has thus emerged as a viable target.
Who is Ismael Kone?
Ismael Kone has been solid since joining Watford from CF Montreal in January 2023. A native of Abidjan, he spent his formative years in Canada after his family moved to the country when he was seven years old. He began his youth career at AS Notre-Dame-de-Grâce before spending some time at CS Saint-Laurent.
Kone’s spell with CF Montreal did not last long either before he joined Watford. The 22-year-old has gone from strength to strength at Vicarage Road, turning out 63 times thus far while chipping in with four goals and four assists. Meanwhile, the youngster has been a regular for the Canadian national side since making his international debut in March 2022.
The young midfielder is currently representing Canada at the 2024 Copa America. But he might not be a Watford player by the time Canada’s Copa America campaign winds down, with West Ham United interested in signing him in the summer transfer window.
London calling?
West Ham United’s interest in Ismael Kone is understandable. The Hammers are in a spot of bother over the long-term future of Edson Alvarez. The Mexican international is attracting interest from Manchester United, with West Ham United naming their price to sell him in the summer transfer window.
Even if Alvarez does not leave West Ham in the summer transfer window, he will unlikely feature in the first couple of months after sustaining a hamstring injury in Mexico’s Copa America opener. So, it behoves West Ham to invest in a midfielder, with Kone emerging as a viable target for the East London club.
It will be interesting to see if the Hammers intensify their efforts to secure Ismael Kone’s services in the summer transfer window after identifying him as a target to bolster the midfield department.
