West Ham linked with move for Italian midfielder

West Ham are keen on signing Genoa midfielder Rolando Mandragora, according to Italian outlet Calciomercato.

AC Milan, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus and Roma are all reportedly tracking the Italian U21 international, so if the Hammers do wish to sign him, they’re going to face some serious competition.

The 18-year-old has impressed in his 11 Serie B appearances this season and it looks like it’s only a matter of time before he moves on to bigger and better things.

As it stands, Inter look like the favourites for his signature, although no deal is in place at the moment. Speaking about Inter’s reported interest in him, Mandragora said:

I am honoured to see my name linked with such a big club like Inter, but I think it’s too early to talk about it. I still need to work a lot and my agent is the one in charge of transfers and negotiations.

If Slaven Bilic wants to bring the defensive midfielder to the Premier League, he might have to convince him that he’ll get more first team action at West Ham than at any of the other interested parties.

With his contract set to expire in the summer, Mandragora can speak to any interested parties in January ahead of a summer move. However, Genoa could sell him at a knock-down price before then to ensure they get a guaranteed fee and not one set by a tribunal.