West Ham Hammers battling Premier League rivals for defend

The defender has already been linked with a move this summer.

• West Ham are in the running to sign Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda, along with Crystal Palace, in the final days of the transfer window.
•  The Hammers have already made some astute signings this summer, notably Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse, to replace the loss of Declan Rice.
•  Fresneda, an 18-year-old right-back, has impressed in La Liga and has the potential to be a valuable long-term addition.
• West Ham are believed to be battling another Premier League club for the signing of a La Liga defender in the closing stages of the transfer window, according to a new update.
  

  Will West Ham make more signings?

  The Hammers may not have always shone in the league last season, but their campaign still ended in memorable fashion, following their UEFA Europa Conference League triumph over Fiorentina in the final.

  It was a special night in the club’s history, but rather than rest on their laurels and bask in the glory of their win for too long, it is now essential that West Ham continue to improve domestically. The early signs are certainly positive, in that respect, not least after last Sunday’s impressive 3-1 victory at home to Chelsea, with David Moyes continuing to do an impressive job in charge.

  The loss of Declan Rice was clearly a big blow, with the former captain joining Arsenal in a big-money move, but those funds have been spent in an astute manner so far, with Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse two players who should help fill the void left by the Englishman

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  There is no guarantee that West Ham’s summer spending is done just yet, however, with just less than a week remaining of the current transfer window, ahead of next Friday’s deadline.

• Will West Ham sign Ivan Fresneda?

  According to AS [via Sport Witness] on Friday, the Hammers are “very interested” in signing Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda, having already been linked with a move for him earlier in the summer. The east Londoners are not alone in expressing an interest in the 18-year-old, however, with Crystal Palace also believed to be eyeing him up.

  A “round of meetings” in London were believed to be on the agenda with the relevant parties yesterday, presumably West Ham and Palace, with a potential move to Barcelona falling through.

  Fresneda is a young player with a potentially big future in the game, so if West Ham could beat Palace to his signature, it could be a significant piece of business for the club.

• Despite his tender years, the Spaniard has already made 22 appearances in La Liga, 18 of which have been starts and all came last season. La Liga expert Matt Clark has waxed lyrical over him in the past, saying:

  “Ivan Fresneda has been one of the revelations of the season so far in LaLiga, standing out for newly-promoted Real Valladolid. He is a remarkably complete right back despite his young age, balancing his defensive duties with the odd attack too. He has that coveted combination of physicality and technical ability. Tall but agile, quick and athletic, he is also strong in the tackle and reads the game very well for someone so green when it comes to first team football.”

  This further shows what a talent Fresneda is, and West Ham could look at him as a long-term replacement for someone like Vladimir Coufal, who is now 31 years of age. It may be a shrewd signing, given his ceiling, so it could be one to watch.