West Ham: £12m midfielder 'definitely on the radar' at London Stadium | OneFootball

West Ham United ‘definitely’ have Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners on their ‘radar’, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Hammers are known to be in the market for engine room reinforcements after missing out on the signature of Amadou Onana to Premier League rivals Everton.

Koopmeiners only arrived at Atalanta 12 months ago after completing a €14 million (£12m) switch from AZ Alkmaar but could be on the move once again following an impressive debut season.

A recent report from Italian outlet CalcioAtlanta (via Sport Witness) claim that West Ham have made an enquiry regarding the 24-year-old’s availability.

However, it’s stated that a ‘possible negotiation would be very complicated’ due to how late in the window the capital club have registered their interest, with Atalanta considering Koopmeiners ‘almost unsellable’.

The Netherlands international still has three years remaining on his £34,000-per-week contract at the Gewiss Stadium and is unlikely to come cheaply.

What has Jones said about Koopmeiners?

Jones has confirmed to GiveMeSport that Koopmeiners is a player West Ham admire but has serious doubts over their ability to attract him to the London Stadium.

In an interview with GMS, he said: “I mean, he is definitely on the radar. I just think that it might be a bit too ambitious.

“He’s such a good player, and some of the genuinely top clubs across Europe have been looking at this guy. It’s going to be tough, if I’m totally honest, I just don’t see him joining.”

How good is Koopmeiners?

Koopmeiners, who is capable of playing at the base of midfield or in a slightly more advanced role, registered 43 goals and 17 assists in 153 appearances for AZ before sealing his switch to Atalanta.

The 6 foot ace then racked up eight goal contributions in 47 outings for La Dea last season across all competitions, and his underlying numbers were equally as eye-catching.

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As per FBref, Koopmeiners ranked in the 95th percentile for expected assists, 94th for shot-creating actions, 87th for progressive passes received, 84th for total shots, and the 82nd for progressive passes amongst his positional peers over the last year.

Throughout his short career, the engine room operator has developed a reputation for his long-range shooting ability, impressive passing range and tackling skills, and he would surely be a valuable asset for David Moyes to call upon.

Signing Koopmeiners would be considered a sizeable coup for West Ham and bringing him to the London Stadium would also be an indication of the progress they have made in recent years.