West Ham transfer news: Deal for Kurt Zouma appears difficult, talks held over Nikola Milenkovic

West Ham remain in talks with Chelsea over defender Kurt Zouma – but a deal currently appears very difficult to complete, with Fiorentina centre-back Nikola Milenkovic emerging as a more realistic option.

Zouma is West Ham’s primary target and it is thought the Frenchman is very open to a move to the London Stadium.

The difficulty lies in the valuation – with Chelsea thought to want in the region of £25m – and Zouma’s wages.

  • West Ham fixtures 2021/22: Hammers start at Newcastle
  • Consortium ‘remains committed’ to West Ham takeover
  • Transfer Centre LIVE!
  • West Ham’s owners turn down approach to buy club

If a deal cannot be struck, the 26-year-old is happy to remain at Chelsea where he has a contract that runs until 2023.

West Ham are keeping their options open and have been in talks with Fiorentina over Milenkovic.

Trending

The 23-year-old Serbia international, who has been with Fiorentina since 2017, has only one year left on his current contract.

Chelsea have also been exploring using Zouma as part of a deal to sign Sevilla’s Jules Kounde.

While not impossible, Zouma’s preference is to remain in London. Chelsea are likely to proceed with a deal for Kounde regardless of whether Zouma is included or not.

Sevilla also thought to be interested in German defender Jerome Boateng.

Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports

You can follow all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports’ digital platforms, as well as keeping track of all the developments on Sky Sports News.

New series: Football’s Cult Heroes

Football’s Cult Heroes is a brand new podcast series exploring the stories of the players that carried their clubs on their backs – on and off the pitch.

Told by the players, fans and journalists that were there, we delve into why these players created such a strong bond with their fans and how they are still remembered years on.

Follow on Spotify so you can listen to the weekly episodes as soon as they drop.

Source: Read Full Article