West Ham could sign long-timetarget Nikola Maksimovic for free in the summer as the Napoli defender reaches the final months of his contract in Italy, according to Calciomercato.
The Serbian will become a free agent in July and the Serie A side are no closer to reaching a fresh agreement with the 29-year-old. With interest emerging from Germany and Italy, the Irons won’t have things all their own way in attempting to sign the versatile defender.
The Hammers were believed to have made a £14m bid for Maksimovic last summer, an offer which was rejected by Napoli as they hoped to retain his services. However, with the financial constraints of the pandemic taking hold, Napoli can’t meet their previous agreement with the player and the experienced Serbia international is now expected to find a new club for next season.
David Moyes’ interest in Maksimovic came when the Irons manager was actively pursuing Burnley defender James Tarkowski, although ultimately the Hammers signed Craig Dawson on loan for the season.
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Following the injuries suffered by Angelo Ogbonna and Issa Diop on Tuesday night against Manchester United, Moyes might wish he had signed a defender in January.
Valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, Maksimovic has stood the test of time in Serie A, making 125 appearances in the division across spells with Torino and Napoli.
With that in mind, signing him for free in the summer would represent a great piece of business for the Hammers.
