West Ham have entered talks with Real Madrid to sign Dani Ceballos, according to The Express.
The Spain international, who has made 32 appearances for Madrid this season, has been deemed surplus to requirements.
Manuel Pellegrini has had good reports about the 22-year-old and is keen to bolster his squad this summer. Talks have begun to bring the midfielder to the London Stadium.
Ceballos is available for £20 million and with six Spain caps to his name, the Hammers may see the midfielder as a shrewd piece of business with one eye on the future.
West Ham star Felipe Anderson has been linked with a move in the opposite direction.
Good move for West Ham?
Ceballos would be a solid piece of business. At 22, the Spaniard has the potential to grow and become a better player. £20 million seems more than reasonable for a youngster who has six Spain caps to his name, his value could be a lot higher than what it currently is in the future. Jack Wilshere has been in and out of the squad through injury and Mark Noble is now 32 – it could be the right time to bring in a new midfield maestro to move the Hammers forwards.
This Is Futbol rating 8/10
Likely to happen?
Having already entered talks to bring the 22-year-old to the London Stadium, there are clearly strong intentions to reach an agreement. Pellegrini will want to improve his midfield options in order to achieve European football next season and Ceballos will certainly help achieve that goal. £20 million is too good an offer to not take advantage of – at that price it’s surprising not to see other clubs making the advancements that West Ham are.
This Is Futbol rating 6/10