West Ham United are keeping tabs on AC Milan midfielder Youssouf Fofana over a possible move to the London Stadium in the summer, according to Tuttosport.
After coming through the ranks at Red Star Jugend, JA Drancy, and Strasbourg, Fofana found stability with Monaco, where his displays brought him into the limelight and onto the radar of several clubs.
He made 175 appearances for Les Rouge et Blanc before securing a move to Milan in the summer of 2024. Since his arrival, he has been in and out of the starting lineup, and understandably so, as he has not consistently replicated the same form and strides he displayed while on the books of Monaco.
As such, speculation in recent months has been rife about his potential departure, especially after being heavily linked with several clubs during January’s winter transfer window, which he turned down.
A possible departure is still on the cards, as Tuttosport reports that several Premier League clubs, including West Ham, are keeping tabs on Fofana.
The East London club could consider a summer swoop, as the report adds that the Hammers have been “tracking” the France international in recent years.
Thomas Soucek replacement?
With two years left on his contract at the San Siro, Milan have placed a £25m valuation on Fofana, according to the report, which would be a bargain for a player of his quality.
However, the Hammers will have to battle with Ligue 1 sides Lyon and Marseille, who have earmarked the 27-year-old as a midfield target for next summer, Tuttojuve adds.
West Ham currently have Soungoutou Magassa, Tomáš Souček, Freddie Potts, Mohamadou Kanté and Mateus Fernandes as midfield options, with Nuno Espírito Santo leaning towards Souček and Fernandes as his preferred pairing.
Potts has made a positive impression in his appearances, but there’s still a sense that he needs time to develop fully. Magassa, on the other hand, hasn’t quite found consistency yet.
Hence, bringing in Fofana would make plenty of sense. A £25m fee looks reasonable for a player of his quality and experience in today’s market, and he could step straight in as a long-term successor to Souček, whose future at the club remains uncertain beyond his current contract.
