West Ham United are ready to make their move for Everton’s veteran English centre-back Michael Keane this summer.
According to Football Insider, West Ham United are ready to make their opening move for Everton defender Michael Keane in the 2022 summer transfer window.
The 29-year-old is a veteran of the English game and has over 200 appearances in the Premier League. Having come through the academy at Manchester United, Keane made a name for himself at Burnley before moving to Everton in 2017.
While he has had his moments at Goodison Park, Keane has failed to live up to expectations. The Englishman is coming off a poor 2021/22 campaign that saw him struggle for form as Everton battled relegation. While Keane has not been short of opportunities, his performances leave much to be desired.
That does not appear to have deterred West Ham, who are in the market for a centre-back. Their interest in Keane comes after Everton beat them to the signing of Burnley veteran James Tarkowski, who will move to Merseyside on a free transfer.
This should effectively pave the way for the Toffees to part ways with one of their senior centre-backs. David Moyes is an admirer of Keane’s talents and believes he can make an impact at the London Stadium. He will hope that Tarkowski’s move will set off a chain of events that will end with Keane joining the Irons.
West Ham will once again play in Europe this summer. While a spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League is something to look forward to, it will be scant consolation for a side that at one point appeared to be dark horses for a top-four finish. A major reason for them falling off was a poor run of form since the turn of the year that was characterised by several defensive injuries and errors.
Angelo Ogbonna and Craig Dawson are not getting any younger, while Kurt Zouma has the ability to court unnecessary controversies. Issa Diop is expected to move on this summer, which will create a vacancy in the defensive department. Adding Keane to the mix thus appears to be more of a necessity rather than a luxury.
The 29-year-old has started to stagnate at Everton and could be set for another relegation battle next season. West Ham can offer him a shot at something different, and given his age, he would be wise to take it.
