Celtic ready to beat West Ham to attacker signing | OneFootball

West Ham have been linked with a move for Matteo Cancellieri

West Ham will be aiming to earn a top two finish in the Championship next season.

The Hammers suffered relegation from the Premier League with an 18th place finish in the table, coming two points adrift of safety.

The London outfit haven’t competed at this level since 2012 when Sam Allardyce led the club to promotion through the play-offs at the first attempt.

Nuno Espírito Santo will be aiming to lead West Ham to similar success in 2027, and the summer transfer window offers the Irons a chance to improve their first team squad.

No major arrivals have joined so far this summer, with the market open until 1 September.

The Championship side’s focus has been on player sales so far, but that attention may now turn to incomings as we approach the final weeks of the window.

West Ham face Celtic threat in Matteo Cancellieri pursuit

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According to ExWHUEmployee, Celtic are set to step up their interest in Matteo Cancellieri amid interest from the Hammers.

The Glasgow outfit are looking to strike before the season gets underway after they received criticism from supporters regarding their transfer activity last year, where the club missed out on multiple targets.

Martin O’Neill is keen to bolster his attacking options, with the Lazio winger now firmly on the Scottish giant’s radar.

West Ham are also interested in the 24-year-old, but he has fallen down their shortlist of options following confirmation that Jarrod Bowen will be staying at the London Stadium.

Celtic are now the front-runners to his signature, with Cancellieri having just one year remaining on his current contract.

The forward made 30 appearances in Serie A last season, contributing four goals and two assists.

Cancellieri joined Lazio in 2023, and has spent time on loan with Empoli and Parma in the years since then.

It remains to be seen what kind of fee it will take to convince Lazio to sell, but Celtic are now in the driving seat for his signature.

West Ham could be forced to step up their interest as a result, or else move on to other targets.

Espírito Santo will be keen to see his squad strengthened before the Championship campaign gets underway.

The Hammers will begin their season away to Burnley, with the two recently relegated sides set to meet on 16 August.

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Jarrod Bowen’s decision to stay reduces the need for Matteo Cancellieri

Cancellieri plays on the right, so Bowen’s decision to stay has reduced the need to sign someone in that area.

However, some competition for the flanks would strengthen Espírito Santo’s side regardless, and the 24-year-old is in the final year of his contract so could be available at a reasonable price.

It’s a move that West Ham should still have one eye on as Celtic step up their pursuit, but there is no need to rush into anything now that Bowen is staying.

Cancellieri has performed well at a Serie A level, and is five years younger than the Hammers’ captain, so could be a solid addition, even if he isn’t necessarily someone the club should prioritise signing at the moment.