West Ham are stepping up their attempts to sign a new centre-back, with three players being targeted, according to reports in the English media.
In addition to Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma, who could prove to be too expensive if the Blues demand more than £20m, it is believed that manager David Moyes has his eyes on Dynamo Kyiv’s Mykola Matviyenko and Valencia’s Mouctar Diakhaby.
Matviyenko has been pursued by the likes of Arsenal, Everton, Wolves and Leeds in the past, but he is now seen by West Ham as a realistic alternative to Zouma. The Ukrainian international is a left-footed centre-back so he could be a long-term replacement for Angelo Ogbonna.
Diakabhy, meanwhile, has been playing for Valencia over the past few years, and with the La Liga side having hit financial problems in recent months, the former France Under 21 international could be available for a cheaper price than either Zouma or Matviyenko.
