Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth reports that West Ham have had a second bid for Lille midfielder Amadou Onana rejected.

The Lowdown: Opening offer turned down

The 20-year-old still has four years remaining on his contract with the Ligue 1 outfit so certainly won't be easy to prise away, but has been the subject of plenty of interest from the Premier League.

According to The Athletic, the Irons had an opening £19.4m offer rejected last week, with their efforts being frustrated even more by the news that Arsenal have already held talks over a potential move to the Emirates.

After taking a second bite at the cherry though, the Hammers have been dealt yet another setback in their pursuit.

The Latest: Second West Ham bid rejected

Taking to Twitter, Sheth revealed that yet another West Ham offer for Onana has been turned down, with the club now exploring elsewhere despite their interest. He wrote:

“Had it confirmed West Ham United have had a second bid rejected by Lille for midfielder Amadou Onana. The offer was believed to be around €30m. While West Ham haven’t closed the door on pursuing the player, it is thought they are looking at other options.”

The Verdict: Long-term partnership?

Onana was a significant player in Lille’s starting XI last season, making 32 Ligue 1 appearances and netting one goal during that time, via WhoScored.

His key strength though is in the defensive part of his game, having averaged 1.5 tackles per league 90 minutes, an attribute which David Moyes loves in seeing his players get stuck in.

Standing at 6 foot 3, the Belgian could also add Soucek-esque dimension to the midfield and has the ability to form a great long-term partnership alongside Declan Rice, but only if the Irons up their financial game to secure both Onana's services and the long-term future of their talisman.