West Ham target Leander Dendoncker has been offered to Everton by current club Anderlecht, according to a reliable journalist.
Kristof Terreur, a London-based reported for Belgian newspaper HLN, claimed on Twitter on Friday that West Ham have been keeping tabs on versatile midfielder Dendoncker this month.
Terreur further reports that Anderlecht have offered the 22-year-old to Everton, which could open the door to a deal reminiscent of the one they struck for striker Henry Onyekuru.
Onyekuru joined Everton in the summer from another Belgian side, Eupen, before being loaned straight to Anderlecht for the season, and Terreur claims the two clubs have a good relationship.
Something that was expected to pop-up, seen the good relationships: West Ham watched him, but Leander Dendoncker has been offered to Everton too. An Onyekuru scenario: buy him and loan him back to Anderlecht? #efc #whufc pic.twitter.com/4Ma9tem3CX
— Kristof Terreur (@kristofterreur) January 26, 2018
In a follow up tweet, Terreur claimed that West Ham had not made a move to sign £20million-rated Dendoncker yet, after Stuart Pearce was left unconvinced by the midfield enforcer during a scouting mission.
West Ham haven’t made the big push as yet. Anderlecht want £20m. He didn’t completely convince scout Stuart Pearce on Sunday, but he played as a central defender. #WHUFC see him as midfielder.
— Kristof Terreur (@kristofterreur) January 26, 2018
Good move for West Ham?
The acquisition of Dendoncker would be a great move for West Ham, who are in need of some more muscle in the midfield area.
The 22-year-old is highly-rated in Belgium and has already broken into the national side, despite such quality competition in the squad at the moment.
While Pearce was said to be left unimpressed by him, Dendoncker has been playing in defence for Anderlecht this year, and that is not his preferred position.
That versatility does however make him more of an exciting prospect for the Hammers, as they are also in need of some cover at the back.
This is Futbol rating: 8/10
Likely to happen?
You would think that Dendoncker being offered to Everton would harm their chances of securing him in the coming days, but the Hammers still remain in pole position.
Having scouted him for a while and showed their interest early, the most likely move here is still to the London Stadium.
But, the Hammers are said to have other targets too, and having not made a big push to sign him yet, it could turn out that they look elsewhere.
The chances of Dendoncker signing for the Toffees are impossible to predict, but if they agree to loan him back then that may make them the preferred destination (for Anderlecht at least).
This is Futbol rating: 5/10