Roma and West Ham launch late bids for N’Koulou

Out of contract defender Nicolas N’Koulou has received a formal offer from AS Roma, according to Turkish source Sporcope.

West Ham have been credited with an interest in the 26-year-old, following his release from Marseille, and Catalunya-based source L’Esportiu say the Hammers have now made a formal approach.

The 26-year-old defender has been in talks with West Ham throughout the summer but Espanyol swooped in earlier this week and are believed to be closing in on his signature. The La Liga outfit firmly believe N’Koulou is theirs, and will be presented as an Espanyol player next week on a long-term deal worth £25,000-a-week, but the eleventh hour bids from West Ham and AS Roma could delay his final decision.

Turkish trio Galatasaray, Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce have also been credited with an interest in N’Koulou.

N’Koulou has been capped 68 times by Cameroon and following his £2.5million move from Monaco to Marseille in 2011 has made 207 appearances for the club, scoring on seven occasions.