The name Mandela Keita may not mean a lot to West Ham United fans right now, but it’s one they may have to get used to.
That’s because the Hammers, according to Het Nieuwsblad in Belgium, are very interested in signing the 21-year-old.
A defensive midfielder by trade, the Belgium international, arrived from OH Leuven at Royal Antwerp on loan with an obligation to buy under certain conditions, which appear ready to be met.
His performances for his club have caught the eye of West Ham, as well as many other teams, and the Hammers are reportedly ready to make a move, having also contacted his entourage.
It’s said David Moyes’ side are ‘another step up’ on the competition, and Het Nieuwsblad write that the deal for Antwerp to sign him would be of €7.8m, and they want ‘at least double’ that to sell him in January.
The fact he has Champions League experience and has played for Belgium add to his price, but that isn’t putting off West Ham.
The Hammers are ‘willing to go that far’, have him ‘high on their list’, but want to ‘wait and see’ to decide if they are going to ‘push through’ in the coming days.
They know there is time, as their plan is to get him with a view to next season, but they ‘have the funds to get him’ now if they so wish.
For now, Keita is full focused on his current team.
