West Ham United are interested in signing Empoli midfielder Kristjan Asllani, according to a report from Italian outlet Calciomercato.it (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown: Rising star

Already a fully-fledged Albania international, Asllani has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence domestically in Italy and has caught the eye with a run of stellar performances.

Previously a regular for the Empoli youth sides and the reserve team, the 20-year-old defensive midfielder made his Serie A bow at the start of the 2021/22 campaign and has since become a mainstay in the senior ranks.

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Now having been heavily targeted by Inter Milan in recent times, a big move looks to be inevitable for the talented youngster...

The latest: Hammers keen

As per Calciomercato.it, translated by SW, West Ham are in the mix to land the twice-capped Albania star.

It's claimed that the Hammers are 'very attentive' to the prospect of signing Asllani as David Moyes begins to plan for life without the highly sought after Declan Rice, however, Inter Milan are said to be in the 'front row' for the capture.

The report also states that the €10-12million (£8.5-10million) asking price for the talent once dubbed 'very strong' by compatriot Erjon Bogdani is 'affordable' for GSB.

The verdict: Exciting prospect

Whilst few could be expected to fill the boots of a bonafide top-class operator such as Rice, adding Asllani to the West Ham ranks would be a smart move from Moyes and GSB alike with the future in mind.

The combative midfielder scored once and provided one assist in 23 league outings last season, predominantly operating in a holding role as the low-budget Empoli finished the campaign in mid-table.

Sharing stylistic similarities with the likes of Premier League recognised stars such as Jonjo Shelvey, Ruben Neves and Douglas Luiz (Fbref), Asllani possesses impressive passing and blocking attributes, highlighting a well-rounded midfield skill set.

At anything like the mooted price, the Albanian would be a shrewd capture for the Irons, particularly in light of the interest from Inter Milan.

In other news… a reliable journalist has dropped this ‘big’ West Ham transfer twist