West Ham United have reportedly made an offer to sign Fenerbache defender Attila Szalai, according to a report from Turkish outlet Sabah.
The lowdown: Career so far
Signed from Cypriot club Apollon Limassol for just shy of £2m in January 2021, the Hungary international had previously spent the majority of his career at Austrian outfit Rapid Vienna.
The 24-year-old has already become an integral part of the Istanbul giants' line-up, amassing 74 outings in a short spell in Turkey.
Having previously been a target for Newcastle United, it now appears as though the Hammers are stepping up their own interest in Szalai, alongside their pursuits of Lucas Paqueta and Hans Vanaken...
The latest: Offer made
As per Sabah, West Ham are believed to have an offer 'on the table' for the 27-cap ace.
It's claimed that the Irons' bid is worth in the region of €16m (£13.6m), whilst Zenit Saint Petersburg are also in the mix for the Hungarian.
The report adds that it is 'highly likely' that the centre-back - who was hailed as an 'exemplary' operator by Fenerbahce legend Emre Belozoglu - will leave for an 'astronomical transfer fee' this summer.
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The verdict: Fingers crossed
Despite the best efforts of David Moyes, Rob Newman and GSB to bolster the defensive department, injuries to Nayef Aguerd, Craig Dawson and now Ben Johnson have already decimated the options at the London Stadium.
Add a returning Angelo Ogbonna into the mix and West Ham currently are bereft of reliable options at the back, particularly ahead of what looks certain to be a testing campaign with Europa Conference League football also on the schedule.
So far this season, Szalai has scored once in nine appearances across all competitions, winning 2.7 duels and making 2.7 clearances and one tackle per league outing whilst earning a 6.63 SofaScore rating.
Standing at an imposing 6 foot 3, the powerful defender has previously been dubbed the 'Hungarian Van Dijk' and certainly looks to have all the attributes necessary to thrive in the Premier League.
Valued at £10.8m and under contract until 2025 (Transfermarkt), at anything like the mooted price this would be a superb piece of business from the east Londoners.