West Ham United hold talks with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud over free transfer, medical already done

West Ham United have held talks with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud over a potential free transfer this summer, according to 90min.

The German international is out of contract at the Bundesliga club this summer and wants to move to the Premier League to test himself.

The 27-year-old central midfielder has held talks with the Hammers, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Brentford and Leicester City too but he now looks set to join Brighton according to Fabrizio Romano (12 May) after undergoing a medical with the Seagulls.

“Sources have told 90min that Dahoud had been in talks with Aston Villa, Brentford, Leicester City, Newcastle United and West Ham United from the Premier League alone,” 90min wrote (12 May).

“But they are set to be beaten to his signing by Brighton, with a deal to take the Germany international to the Amex Stadium close to being finalised.”

Dahoud is a solid midfield player with great technical qualities and good energy to play in the middle of the park.

But considering the current options we have for next season of Lucas Paqueta, Flynn Downes and Tomas Soucek it’s hard to see how Dahoud would have fitted in.

The priority of West Ham this summer absolutely has to be replacing Declan Rice‘s quality and ability to go box-to-box, and Dahoud isn’t able to do that anywhere near the level of Rice.

Bringing him in additionally may have worked but he clearly wants to be the first-choice midfielder wherever he goes and we can’t promise him that.

It’s encouraging to know that we’re looking at the free agent market though as there are likely to be some gems in there this summer, and it would be a shrewd way to bolster the squad ahead of the new season.

Next season has to be an improvement on this, and strengthening the squad is a good way of ensuring that.