West Ham have made enquiries about Monaco attacking midfielder Aleksandr Golovin, according to reports in Russian media.
The Hammers’ interest in the 25-year-old has not advanced to negotiations over a transfer fee, at this stage, but they are trying to gauge whether the player would be keen on a move to the London Stadium.
Golovin, who is valued £22.5m by Transfermarkt, has been in decent form for Monaco this season, having scored three goals and provided five assists in 23 appearances.
The Russian international moved to the Ligue One side from CSKA Moscow for €30m back in 2018. At the time, he revealed he had rejected moves to Chelsea and Juventus in order to make the switch to France:
“Why didn’t I move to Juventus or Chelsea? I thought it would be hard for me now in a team like Chelsea or Juventus. For me it’s the grandees of football. Probably, if I were a football player from Europe, the transition would have been easier. And, since I am from Russia, in a big club the situation would be complicated by the lack of knowledge of the language. I did not consult anyone making this choice.”
Whether West Ham actually need a player like Golovin, it is open for debate. Manager David Moyes already has Manuel Lanzini, Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma in the squad who can play in advanced midfield roles so it is difficult to see where the Monaco star would fit in.
