West Ham are in talks over a potential deal to sign Bristol Rovers defender Michael Kelly, according to a report from journalist Pete O’Rouke.
The 21-year-old left back has been linked with moves to Crystal Palace and Millwall in recent days, but it appears that West Ham have made the first move to sign him.
Kelly is entering the final six months of the two-year deal he signed with Rovers back in 2017 and as such, the League One side may be tempted to cash in on him this month, rather than risk losing him for free in the summer.
Kelly’s rise has been remarkable. After being released by Leicester City back in 2016, he dropped out of professional football altogether and ended up playing for Scottish Junior League side Hurlford Town. His performances led to him having trials with both Stoke City and Bristol Rovers, and it was The Gas who decided to offer him a professional deal.
The Scottish defender has gone from strength to strength and has, according to O’Rouke, been attracting plenty of attention from scouts of Premier League and Championship clubs, and it looks like West Ham are ready to make a move for him.
