West Ham United eyeing Odilon Kossounou as Harry Maguire alternative

West Ham United could reportedly walk away from a deal to sign Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire and have identified Bayer Leverkusen’s Odilon Kossounou as an alternative.

That is according to a report from The Sun, which claims that West Ham United are struggling to agree personal terms with Manchester United defender Harry Maguire and could turn to a younger option in Bayer Leverkusen’s defensive sensation Odilon Kossounou instead of the England man.

The Hammers’ central defender search appeared to have ended after they agreed a £30 million deal to sign the 30-year-old England international following a period of negotiations with Manchester United. However, there has been no progress on the transfer.

It was previously thought that the Irons had agreed to pay Maguire £120,000 per week, a significant reduction from his current £190,000-a-week take-home cash, while he will receive a £6 million fee from Manchester United when departing Old Trafford to help offset his wage cut at the London Stadium.

But, according to a fresh update from The Sun, there may be a spanner in the works. So much so that the proposed transfer is at risk of collapsing. West Ham’s £120,000-a-week offer is not deemed sufficient by the player. In light of the contingent situation, the Hammers have turned their attention to Bayer Leverkusen’s Odilon Kossounou.

West Ham’s interest in the 22-year-old Bayer Leverkusen defender comes from their sporting director, Tim Steidten, who knows Kossounou from his time at the Bundesliga club and is a big admirer of the youngster’s talent and potential.

The 22-year-old Ivorian has made a total of 69 appearances in all competitions since joining the Bundesliga side from Club Brugge in the summer of 2021. Despite his impressive performances, the 6ft 3in defender has struggled to consistently nail down a place in the starting XI.

He only established himself as a regular under manager Xabi Alonso before a muscle issue curtailed his progress. So it looks like he is keen on a fresh start. And a move to the Premier League could be the next big step in his career.

The Ivorian was previously linked with a loan switch to West Ham in the January transfer window. However, a move failed to materialise at the time. The Hammers are set to renew their interest in the young defender and are readying a £30 million swoop, while Die Werkself could also be open to a loan deal with an obligation-to-buy deal for the 22-year-old this summer.