West Ham United have made an offer to sign Club Brugge youngster Arne Engels, according to Football Transfers.Â
The lowdown: Busy in the market
The Hammers are seemingly desperately attempting to strengthen their ranks prior to the September 1 transfer deadline and midfield would appear to be a top priority.
Despite making a strong start to their Europa League Conference campaign having qualified for the group stage with a resounding 6-1 aggregate victory over Viborg, the early Premier League form is of concern.
Already linked with Lucas Paqueta and Hans Vanaken, Rob Newman and David Moyes are now also eyeing up a move for Engels before the end of the window…
The latest: Offer rejected
As per Football Transfers, West Ham are understood to have made an ‘initial approach’ for the 18-year-old Belgium youth international.
That move was rejected, though it’s claimed that Brugge ‘could be willing’ to sell Engels due to the teen being in the last 12 months of a deal at the Jupiler Pro League outfit.
The youngster – who is described as a ‘big talent’Â – would go into the Under 23 side to begin with.
The verdict: Make it happen
Still part of Club NXT, Brugge’s reserve team playing in the Belgian second tier, Engels remains an unproven quantity at the elite level but the type of prospect that the London Stadium hierarchy should be looking to add to the ranks.
Overall, the nine-cap Belgium Under 19 starlet has scored five times and provided three assists in 31 outings across all domestic youth levels, highlighting an eye for impacting games in the final third from an advanced midfield position.
Holding an estimated market value of £315,000 and with a dwindling contract (Transfermarkt), this should prove a relatively inexpensive outlay for West Ham and would bolster the group of academy talent in situ in east London, perhaps in turn offering additional options to Moyes moving forwards.
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