Bournemouth have ‘checked the name’ of defender Kiki Kouyaté for the summer but could face competition from West Ham United for him.
That’s according to Africa Foot, who report that both Bournemouth and West Ham are interested in the 27-year-old Montpellier centre-back.
They report that Kouyaté is a ‘prime target’ for Bournemouth this summer as they are looking for a central defender in the next transfer window.
His profile is one that is ‘very popular’ with those in charge of the Cherries, who are already preparing to replace players they expect will leave at the end of this season.
One of those could be Dean Huijsen, who is earning admiring glances from across Europe, and Kouyaté could be a replacement.
Bournemouth will have to face competition, though, because several clubs have already expressed an interest since last summer, including West Ham.
They could all wait to see what happens with Montpellier this season as relegation, which is a distinct possibility, would force them into sales. Kouyaté may be set to leave anyway as his current deal expires in 2026 and is one of their big earners.
Whether Bournemouth or West Ham move remains to be seen but they’re interested, with the Cherries keeping a close eye on him in particular.
