West Ham to rival Wrexham for 23-year-old star | OneFootball

West Ham United are reportedly challenging Championship rivals Wrexham for the signature of Angers defender Jacques Ekomie

West Ham United are preparing to rival Championship counterparts Wrexham in the race for the signature of Angers left-back Jacques Ekomie this summer, with the Hammers plotting a move for the 23-year-old.

According to Pete O'Rourke via X, West Ham are ready to join Championship rivals Wrexham in the race for Angers defender Ekomie before the end of the window.

The Hammers are expected to lose Senegalese international El Hadji Malick Diouf before the end of the window, as head coach Nuno Espírito Santo has seemingly eyed up Ekomie as a potential replacement.

West Ham United to rival Wrexham in the race for Jacques Ekomie

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It hasn't quite been the start to the season that West Ham would've hoped for, picking up just one point from their opening two Championship games, after conceding two late goals to draw away with Burnley on the opening gameweek, followed by a 2-1 home defeat to Charlton Athletic last weekend.

The Hammers have been tipped by the masses to secure an immediate return to the top flight following their relegation, and though this start is far from ideal, there are still a lot of games to be played.

Starting at left-back in their defeat to the Addicks was Oliver Scarles, as El Hadji Malick Diouf was not in the squad at all, with Brentford reportedly preparing a fresh bid for the Senegalese defender.

Another option in that area within the next week, should Diouf leave, is an absolute necessity for the East London outfit, with Ekomie having emerged as an option.

Wrexham have reportedly bid around €5 million (£4.3 million) for Ekomie, whilst German Bundesliga side Hamburg have also expressed an interest in signing the Gabon international.

Now, West Ham have added fuel to the fire in the race for Ekomie's signature, with the Hammers preparing for the inevitable loss of Diouf before the end of the window.

Why do West Ham United want Wrexham target Jacques Ekomie?

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West Ham's summer window took a while to spring into action, but the Hammers have now completed deals for each of Joel Veltman, Arne Engels, Manor Solomon, Joel Piroe, and Divine Mukasa.

Keiber Lamadrid's loan move became permanent at the beginning of the summer, and with just a week to go before the deadline, the Hammers still have a lot of work to do.

Ekomie, to date, has played his entire career in France, coming through the academy of Bordeaux before joining Angers in the summer of 2024, where he made 32 league appearances last season.

Last season for Angers, Ekomie, more often than not, played as a conventional left-back in a back four, and with West Ham switching to that shape following their relegation to the Championship, he shouldn't struggle adapting to Nuno's system.

Capable of playing further forward, the Gabonese put up excellent defensive numbers in the French top-flight last year, though struggled to have an impact in attack.

This could change upon his move to the English capital, where he could be provided with more license to move forward and express himself under Nuno.

At 23, Ekomie already has ample top-flight experience under his belt, and has a lot of time to improve and iron out the weak points of his game, as the Hammers are set to rival Wrexham over the next week or so for his signature.

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West Ham supporters will be largely discontent with how their return to the Championship has unfolded thus far, and how their summer window has gone.

It took the club a while to begin their incomings, and with each of Mateus Fernandes, Freddie Potts, Crysencio Summerville, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Callum Wilson, Axel Disasi, and George Earthy having left the club over the summer, it would be difficult to argue that they haven't become weaker as a result.

West Ham fan pundit, Ryan Horn, has previously labelled the club's decision to sell Earthy as 'absolutely stupid'.

The likes of Diouf, Jean-Clair Todibo, Edson Alvarez, and Maxwell Cornet could all still leave in the next week, and with four academy graduates on the bench against Charlton, West Ham still have a lot of work to do.

Ekomie wouldn't break the bank and would provide another much-needed option at left-back, though their business should not stop there.