West Ham to rival Man United for £33m-rated centre-back from Serie A
03/27/2025 07:50 AM
West Ham United are set to go head-to-head with Manchester United for Udinese centre-back Oumar Solet.
According to Italian news outlet Messaggero Veneto, the Hammers are keen to sign the former French youth international who has been in impressive form for Udinese this season.
Solet only joined the Serie A side in January, but he could be on the move again with the Hammers weighing up the possibility of a summer swoop.
The 25-year-old has been a mainstay in the Udinese rearguard since joining the club, making 10 league appearances and returning an assist.
His underlying numbers have been nothing short of impressive.
He has won an outstanding 66% of his ground duels, although aerial prowess could do with more work (45% aerial duels won) given his towering 6ft2 frame.
Solet has also helped to keep five clean sheets and averages 1.7 tackles, five ball recoveries, and 3.6 clearances per 90 minutes.
Despite his impressive outings, Solet’s spell in Italy could be nearing a premature end, with West Ham closely monitoring his situation.
With United also in the mix, the Hammers will need to table a lucrative offer to convince the Frenchman to choose East London over Manchester.
Both Premier League clubs have reportedly made initial inquiries about the Frenchman, whose contract with Udinese runs until the summer of 2027.
Udinese are aware of the growing interest in Solet, and reports from Italy claim the Friulani are already scouting the market for potential replacements.
Having signed him for free only three months ago, they could be in line for a massive windfall if a suitable proposal arrives this summer.
Solet was already on the radar of Turkish clubs during the January transfer window, but Udinese’s premium demands forced them to explore other options.
At the time, the Italians valued Solet at around €30 million, but his impressive performances have seen his stock rise over the past few months, with Udinese now demanding €40m to let him go.
