West Ham Face Competition From Atalanta For This 21-Year-Old Defensive Midfielder: Can The Hammers Win The Race? | OneFootball

A report from Foot Mercato recently revealed that West Ham United are determined to sign Soungoutou Magassa before the transfer window closes. The club have made an offer of €16 million for the young defensive midfielder from AS Monaco. However, the story is not that simple as Serie A side Atalanta have also joined the race for the player.

The move shows West Ham’s ambitions, especially at a time when the team are looking for new energy in their defensive midfield position. The Frenchman is not yet a permanent part of the Monaco squad, but both the club and fans are well aware of his potential.

The 21-year-old was part of the French team at last year’s Olympics, where his team finished second. In such a situation, West Ham’s interest are understandable, but the presence of Atalanta makes this transfer more complicated.

Magassa’s strengths and weaknesses

BOLOGNA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 05: Soungoutou Magassa of AS Monaco in action during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 match between Bologna FC 1909 and AS Monaco at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on November 05, 2024 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Soungoutou Magassa’s stature and strength make him stand out in the defensive game. He is adept at breaking the opponent’s attack in the defensive midfield role, and his positioning ability is considered to be very strong. The 21-year-old is also good with his passes and can even play as a centre-back when needed.

However, his biggest weakness is the lack of experience, because he did not get a chance to play matches continuously at Monaco. Due to this, many times his decision-making are affected under pressure. Despite this, there is a lot of scope for improvement considering his age.

Will West Ham win this race?

Now the question is whether Soungoutou Magassa will move to West Ham United or Atalanta’s offer will entice him more. The attraction of the Premier League is always a big factor, and a team like West Ham can give him a chance to prove himself on the big stage. On the other hand, young players often get more trust and playing time in a club like Atalanta.

In our opinion, if the player wants to develop quickly, then Italy could be the right destination for him, but if he wants to test himself in a challenging environment and obviously the best league in the world, then West Ham would be a better fit. However, the Frenchman will definitely be a good pick for the Hammers.