West Ham United handed boost in race for £11m star as rival bidders ruled out

West Ham have been handed a huge boost in their reported pursuit of Fenerbahce’s Jayden Oosterwolde. The defender’s agent was recently quizzed by Turkish media on the rising interest in his client and while the Irons were mentioned, it was in fact Galatasary that are now seemingly out of the picture.

The 23-year-old has seen his name appear alongside both the Hammers and Nottingham Forest this summer but reports from GS Gazete, which include the words Oosterwolde’s agent Timur Kunt made to Ekol TV, say that no offers have yet been made. Kunt then went on to add that while Fenerbahce are keen to keep their player, there had been rising interest from the Turkish club’s local rivals Galatasary.

However, this has been quickly dispelled with Kunt saying: “There is no question of him going to Galatasaray. He has a contract, and the president never wants to let go. There are no offers from other clubs yet.”

The Turkish media, according to Sport Witness, have further backed Julen Lopetegui’s interest in the Dutchman but have noted that West Ham are likely to face competition from AS Roma and Galatasaray - although the latter club now appears to have been ruled out.

It was also noted that Forest, Ipswich Town, Brentford and Parma were all watching the 23-year-old closely as his versatility allows him to play both centre-back or left-back.

The Dutch defender began his career with Twente before heading to Parma, initially on loan, in 2022. In January 2023, Oosterwolde signed a four-and-a-half year deal with his current side for a reported fee of £5 million. He went on to make 39 appearances for the Turkish SuperLig side last campaign, scoring two goals and has a current market value of around £11 million.

With a new head coach now at the London Stadium helm, the Irons are set for a busy summer transfer season and with bolstering their defensive department a key priority. In the Premier League alone, the Irons conceded 74 goals in 38 matches and Julen Lopetegui’s first port of call will be to ensure such defensive gaps are filled as quickly as possible.