West Ham's next transfer is becoming clear as Nils Koppen plots Rangers move | OneFootball

West Ham United are reportedly interested in Rangers midfielder Connor Barron this summer

West Ham United's summer transfer window is beginning to pick up speed, with the Hammers having been linked with a flurry of players already, as incoming director of player recruitment Nils Koppen plots the club's immediate return to the Premier League.

West Ham find themselves in a predicament that a few months ago fans would have been dreading.

Relegation to the Championship for the first time in 14 years raises numerous problems for the East London outfit, who will be doing everything in their power to ensure their stay in the second tier is as short-lived as possible.

Incoming director of player recruitment Nils Koppen has a huge task on his hands to build Nuno Espirito Santo a side capable of challenging for the division title, as the rumour mill is well and truly beginning to speed up at the London Stadium.

Outgoings are expected as well as incomings, as Koppen will be looking to utilise all of his connections to the best of his ability to rebuild the Hammers ahead of a hugely important season, and is seemingly already doing just that after the latest news.

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As Koppen gets busy conversing with Nuno over which areas of the pitch West Ham need to strengthen, and discussing possible targets, the Belgian will be pitching possible players of his own.

With Mateus Fernandes having made the £85 million switch to Tottenham Hotspur, the Portuguese midfielder leaves a huge gap in the middle of the park that nobody currently contracted to the club will likely be able to fill.

Each of Songoutou Magassa, Mohamadou Kante, and Freddie Potts, and Tomas Soucek will be trying to impress Nuno in pre-season and force their way into his plans, whilst James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez are both expected to leave the club this summer.

In any case, midfield ought to be an area West Ham look to add some strength and depth in, as Koppen has seemingly used his contacts lately, with the Hammers reportedly interested in Rangers midfielder Connor Barron, as per Hayters.

Barron, 23, came through the ranks at Aberdeen before securing a move to Ibrox in the summer of 2024 when Koppen was still employed by the Scottish outfit, and has since gone on to make 83 appearances across all competitions for the Glasgow giants, as well as earning one cap for Scotland in that period.

However, with each of Nicolas Raskin, Tochi Chukwuani, and Mohamed Diomande as competition in the middle of the park at Ibrox, Barron's game time was limited towards the latter stages of last season, making 27 league appearances across the campaign.

West Ham will face competition from Italian outfit Bologna, who have previously registered an interest in the 23-year-old, and look to add him to the likes of Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson to make the move from Scotland this summer.

FootballInsider previously reported that Rangers will consider bids of around £8 million to £10 million to part ways with Barron, as Koppen looks to reunite with the deep-lying playmaker in London.

As the Hammers look for their successor to Fernandes, Barron has emerged as a contender to help fill that void, and with Koppen's previous connection with the Scot, it would be no surprise to see a formal bid be made sooner rather than later.

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Despite relegation, it's doubtful that Nuno will have any intention of becoming weaker this summer.

Finding a player of Fernandes' quality as a Championship side is next to impossible, as West Ham may have to fill that void with a couple of additions instead of merely one.

Whilst Barron is a different type of midfielder, preferring to operate in a deeper role than Fernandes, his passing range is what makes him stand out, and what led Koppen to bring him to Rangers in the first place.

Whether a reunion this summer is a serious possibility remains to be seen, as Barron is the latest name to be linked with a switch to the London Stadium.