West Ham United have seen an opening €10m offer for Club Brugge midfielder Hans Vanaken turned down, 90min can confirm.
The 29-year-old attacking midfielder has spent his entire professional career playing in his homeland and boasts an impressive goalscoring record in Belgium’s top flight.
He is one of many transfer targets West Ham have identified as manager David Moyes looks to strengthen a squad which has already been depleted by injuries in defence.
Vanaken won’t solve that particular problem for Moyes – West Ham are pressing ahead with interest in Chelsea’s Emerson Palmieri and PSG’s Thilo Kehrer in that department – but he would provide further competition for places in the heart of midfield; one that looked a little ragged and rusty during Sunday’s narrow defeat to Nottingham Forest.
But 90min understands that West Ham’s opening offer of €10m falls well below Club Brugge’s valuation of Vanaken, who is contracted to the club until 2025.
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It’s believed the Belgian giants would ideally want at least double that figure, although there’s hope that the Hammers may be able to negotiate a deal around the €15m mark with future add-ons.
Club Brugge are unlikely to be rolled over by West Ham at the negotiating table, however, having already secured a healthy sum of money when selling Charles De Ketelaere to Serie A champions AC Milan.
There’s also significant interest in young Dutch winger Noa Lang and Scottish centre-back Jack Hendry, meaning there’s every chance that Club Brugge will hold firm over their valuation of Vanaken – who has extensive experience of playing in Europe.
Standing 6’5 tall, Vanaken has scored at least ten goals in the Belgian First Division in seven of the last nine seasons, and has scored 101 times for Club Brugge in all competitions since his arrival from Lokeren in 2015.
90min understands that he is interested in moving to London Stadium and a follow-up offer is expected to be lodged.
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