Things are starting to happen at West Ham United. Technical director Tim Steidten moved quickly to sign Luis Guilherme and Max Kilman this summer, and now further exciting deals are being worked on.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Crysencio Summerville are both closing on transfers to the London Stadium, though strides must yet be taken to secure the players' signatures.
The centre of the park could also do with some tinkering, and West Ham may well move for a new midfielder after present deals are brokered.
West Ham transfer news
According to L'Equipe – via Sport Witness – West Ham are in with a shout for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Carlos Soler, who has been linked with a move away from the Ligue 1 champions this summer.
The Premier League has been touted as a possible destination, with Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion also sniffing around. It's unlikely that PSG will offer him a starting berth with regularity this term, so there's a real opportunity to secure a shrewd signing here.
What Carlos Soler would bring to West Ham
Soler signed for PSG from Spanish side Valencia for €20m (about £17m) in 2022, though he has never really nailed down a role of importance in the French capital, starting 26 Ligue 1 matches across the two campaigns.
Once hailed as the "complete midfielder" by former Valencia star Curro Torres, Soler has performed across a range of roles throughout his career but is principally fielded in the centre, where his playmaking qualities shine.
Central midfield
142
27
16
Right midfield
92
11
18
Attacking midfield
28
2
1
Left midfield
25
4
1
Defensive midfield
9
3
1
Right-back
5
1
2
Left-back
2
0
0
He ranks among the top 15% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 15% for assists and the top 18% for passes attempted per 90, as per FBref, highlighting the potency he would bring to Julen Lopetegui's team, instilling a new level of ball-playing quality too.
He could even find himself absorbing Lucas Paqueta's role, with the Brazil international's future uncertain amid FA charges for spot-fixing breaches, with prospective sanctions speaking of a lengthy suspension.
One of the highest-quality players in the Hammers' modern history, Paqueta has been integral since signing for a club-record £51m figure two years ago.
Across his two campaigns, the 26-year-old has clinched 27 goal contributions, threading the pass through to Jarrod Bowen to win the Conference League in 2023. He also averaged 6.3 recoveries, 2.3 tackles and won 7.6 duels per match in the English top flight last term, as per Sofascore, boasting a 'complete' skillset almost unmatched for playmakers in the division.
Paqueta has linked back up with West Ham's first team as Lopetegui and Co gear up for the forthcoming season, but a long-term spell on the sidelines looms like an ominous shadow.
In Soler, United could find a tailor-made replacement to ensure that east London is blessed with creativity and spark at the start of a new era, regardless of Paqueta's future on the field.
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