West Ham looking to beat Euro outfit to the signing of €18-20m-rated defender

West Ham United are keen on signing defender Zeno Debast from Anderlecht.

According to a report from MaisFutebol, Sporting CP are trying to sign the 20-year-old central defender as well and it remains to be seen whether the Hammers can hijack the move for the Belgian.

Debast is highly rated around Europe and he has a bright future ahead of himself he could prove to be the ideal acquisition for the hammers.

West Ham have been quite vulnerable defensively this season and they have conceded 70 league goals. They will have to improve in that department if they want to compete in Europe regularly and push for domestic trophies. Signing a quality central defender should be one of their priorities and the Belgian would be a long-term acquisition for them.

Zeno Debast would improve West Ham

Debast has the ability to adapt to English football and he could be a key player for West Ham with the right guidance. According to the report the defender could be available for a fee of around €18-20 million. It could prove to be a major bargain for the Hammers if they can sign the player for the reported price.

The Belgian has the potential to develop into a quality Premier League defender and he could easily justify the investment in the coming seasons.

A move to the Premier League could be an exciting opportunity for the young defender and it remains to be seen where he ends up. However, the player must seek gametime assurances as before making the move. He cannot afford to sit on the bench at the London club at this stage of his career.

West Ham certainly have the financial muscle to compete with Sporting CP and they might be able to offer the defender a more lucrative contract as well. It will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds.