West Ham United are eyeing Club Brugge midfielder Hans Vanaken.
Het Nieuwsblad via Voetbal24 says the Irons are weighing up making a €15m bid for Vanaken next month.
A free-scoring midfielder, Vanaken, 28, has caught the eye for Club Brugge in Champions League action this season. Indeed, last term Vanaken became the first player since Jan Ceulemans in 1986 to win back-to-back Belgian Golden Shoe awards. Vanaken won the award on the back of 20 goals and 7 assists during 2019.
Vanaken struck in Club Brugge's final Champions League group game against Lazio this month. The match finished 2-2, with the Belgians needing a victory to reach the final 16. Instead, they will meet Dynamo Kyiv in the Europa League round of 32 in February.
Vanaken signed a new deal in October and it runs to 2025. But in Belgium there is a belief he is now ready to jump to a bigger stage.
And such a move has the backing of former KAA Gent coach Trond Sollied, who said: “Vanaken would have no problems in the Premier League.
“Look at Sander Berge: he plays outstanding for Sheffield United. And Vanaken is better than Berge.
"If he wants to take the step higher, Hans can no longer wait that long. But he has to decide that for himself. If you are happy where you are, you should stay. Gert Verheyen never left, even when he was able to go to Ipswich. A player has to make that choice for himself."
- updated December 21
