West Ham United are reportedly one of several clubs who have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Leuven midfielder Ezechiel Banzuzi.
The 20-year-old's performances in two seasons with Dutch outfit NAC Breda earned him a move to Leuven in June 2023 and he has since developed into an important first-team player for the Belgian side.
Banzuzi is a 6ft 3in all-round midfielder who has been deployed either on the left of a midfield three or in a double pivot over the last 18 months with Leuven.
The Netherlands under-21 international has chipped in with three goals and six assists in 30 appearances for a Leuven side who sit 11th in the Belgian Pro League and are battling to secure a Conference League playoff spot for next season.
Banzuzi, who is currently away on international duty, will soon be entering the final year of his contract at Leuven and speculation over his future at club level has grown since the turn of the year.
According to the Evening Standard, West Ham attempted to sign Banzuzi in the January transfer window, while Monaco were also one of half-a-dozen clubs who enquired about his availability and entered negotiations with both Leuven and the player's representatives.
© Imago
West Ham-linked Banzuzi expected to leave Leuven this summer
Interested suitors were ultimately unable to reach an agreement with Leuven, who are said to have internally placed a valuation of €15m (£12.6m) on the midfielder.
Now, the report states that West Ham are among a host of clubs who are still tracking Banzuzi ahead of the summer transfer window when the Dutchman is expected to leave Leuven.
The Belgian side are said to be braced to lose the in-demand youngster if an interested party offers a sufficient fee.
West Ham will hope that the attraction of playing in the Premier League and under new boss Graham Potter would persuade Banzuzi to move to the London Stadium, although other interested suitors such as Monaco may be able to offer Champions League football next season.
The Hammers' interest in Banzuzi comes at a time when the future of Lucas Paqueta is uncertain, as the Brazilian is facing allegations of breaching betting rules, with the FA seeking for the 27-year-old to be given a lifetime ban from football.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Paris Saint-Germain loanee Carlos Soler will remain at West Ham beyond the end of this season; the Spaniard has played 26 times for the Hammers so far this term.
Oliver Thomas
