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| Conor Coady of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates after scoring their side's first goal during the Premier League match between Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Goodison Park on March 13, 2022 in Liverpool, England. |
West Ham United have reportedly been approached over the possibility of signing Conor Coady, who is also a target for Everton this summer.
According to talkSPORT, West Ham United have reportedly been sounded out over the prospect of signing Conor Coady from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the ongoing transfer window. Everton are also pushing to sign the 29-year-old defender, who is open to a move away from the Molineux due to a lack of guarantees over regular playing time.
Conor Coady arrived at the Molineux back in 2015 for a modest fee and has since established himself as one of the regular fixtures at the heart of Wolves’ backline thanks to his leadership skills. His impressive displays and incredible consistency have helped him break into the ever-congested England squad.
During his ongoing spell at Wolves, the 29-year-old has featured in over 300 matches, emerging as the lynchpin for the West Midlands outfit in the Premier League. But his days at Wolves could be numbered following the arrival of Nathan Collins from Burnley and the rise of young centre-back Max Kilman, with Bruno Lage switching to a back four rather than a three-man defensive unit this season.
As a result, Coady has fallen down the pecking order and sat on the bench for his side’s 2-1 loss at Leeds United, after being virtually ever-present at the back for the last seven seasons. Despite having a contract until 2025, the Wolves skipper faces a bleak future at Molineux.
Wolves are hesitant to lose their skipper but are prepared to let the 29-year-old go this summer given that he has lost his starting spot in Bruno Lage’s side. The Molineux hierarchy understands his wish to play regular football ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and will sanction a move if an acceptable offer arrives.
As such, Everton have already submitted an enquiry for Coady, with Frank Lampard said to be a big admirer of the English defender’s character and mentality. The former Chelsea boss is looking to beef up his central defensive department after Ben Godfrey and Yerry Mina were both stretchered off in the 1-0 defeat against Chelsea at Goodison Park.
James Tarkowski has already joined Everton, but there is a lack of quality cover behind him, with Michael Keane and Mason Holgate looking out of place in the relegation fight last season. While the Toffees are considered to be the frontrunners for Coady’s signature, they could potentially face stiff competition from West Ham United, with the player’s agent offering him to the Hammers.
With Nayef Aguerd currently out injured and Angelo Ogbonna not yet match fit, David Moyes wants to bolster his central defensive ranks at the London Stadium. Coady will definitely appeal to the West Ham boss due to his leadership abilities and well-rounded defensive qualities.
The England international shone last season in a back-three system, and it appears like Moyes intends to use the same setup after singing Maxwel Cornet for the attacking wing-back role. It will be interesting to see if West Ham end up making a move for Coady after being sounded out over a possible move, beating Everton to his signature.
