West Ham United in advanced talks to sign Barcelona youngster on loan | OneFootball

According to an update shared by SPORT, it has come to light that West Ham United are now in pole position to sign Barcelona defender Hector Fort on loan.

Talks are at an advanced stage, and the operation could be completed as early as next week.

It is known that the 19-year-old full-back has been weighing up several loan offers, but the Premier League appears to be the most likely destination.

West Ham move gaining strength

West Ham have been closely following Fort for some time and were also among the clubs monitoring Marc Casado.

Their willingness to push forward with a loan deal has put them ahead of other interested parties.

While there are still teams in the running, the London club is currently the favourite to secure his services.

West Ham want to sign Hector Fort. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

For Fort, this move is attractive both financially and professionally. The youngster would receive a salary increase and, more importantly, the chance to gain valuable first-team minutes.

However, he has made it clear that he only wants a loan deal. His long-term goal is to return to Barcelona stronger, with more experience under his belt, and eventually establish himself in the first team.

There are other options too

Apart from West Ham, Everton have also shown interest in the defender, while Italian side Como asked about him during talks for Inaki Pena.

In Spain, Mallorca explored the possibility of signing him, but are no longer seen as the favourites.

Both Barcelona and Fort are keen to resolve the situation quickly. The player wants clarity on his future to begin adapting to his new environment, while the club are eager to generate some salary space, even though Fort’s current wages are not high.

Unless there is a last-minute twist, West Ham appear well-placed to finalise the deal and bring one of La Masia’s brightest young full-backs to the Premier League.