West Ham target Rav van den Berg has been challenged to force his way back into Köln’s plans by head coach René Wagner.
The defender has attracted reported January interest from the Hammers, but Wagner’s latest comments leave open a route back into contention in Germany.
Speaking to come-on-fc in an interview published on Thursday and carried by OneFootball, Wagner explained that he has four centre-backs competing for two starting positions.
He said Joel had recently taken the defensive place on the bench ahead of Van den Berg.
“Now it is up to Rav himself,” Wagner said, translated from German.
The coach added that the Dutchman understands both why he is currently missing out and what he must do to return.
What Wagner’s stance means for West Ham
The comments provide useful context for West Ham’s reported interest. Van den Berg faces a selection problem, but his manager has not closed the door on him.
Wagner was answering a question about the defender’s distance from the squad. He did not confirm a sale, discuss West Ham or name an asking price.
Our earlier coverage noted that German reporting questioned the valuations circulating around a possible deal. Those figures remain separate from these selection comments.
For West Ham, the next useful indicator is whether Van den Berg regains minutes before January. A return would change the picture of a player currently struggling for a place.
For now, Wagner has put the responsibility on the defender to respond.
