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West Ham and Manchester United are both pursuing the signature of wantaway Leicester City defender Ben Nelson, according to reports.
The Daily Mail claim that the two teams have “expressed an interest” in the 22-year-old, who has handed in a transfer request after the Foxes’ relegation to League One.
Nelson has less than twelve months left on his contract at the King Power Stadium, but bids from Torino and Borussia Monchengladbach have already been rejected as Leicester hold out for their asking price.
Despite the limited amount of time remaining on his current deal, his valuation is still £10m, which is not a figure any of his suitors are prepared to pay.
What do fans need to know about Nelson?
The centre-half had loan spells at Rochdale and Doncaster before he made his first appearance for Leicester against Tranmere Rovers in the Carabao Cup nearly three years ago.
Following the Foxes’ promotion to the Premier League, Nelson was loaned out to Oxford United for the 2024/25 season, where he made 17 appearances in all competitions.
The 22-year-old returned to his parent club last summer and established himself as a regular starter by December. Despite some impressive performances, though, he could not prevent Leicester suffering a second successive relegation.
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West Ham are eyeing moves for other centre-backs
Nelson is by no means the only player that Director of Player Recruitment Nils Koppen is considering as the Irons look to reinforce the backline.
AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori is said to be among the names on the shortlist, along with the likes of Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Cardiff City’s Dylan Lawlor and Manchester City’s Stephen Mfuni.
With Jean-Clair Todibo expected to leave the London Stadium, and Axel Disasi having returned to Chelsea, head coach Nuno Espirito Santo currently has limited options in the middle of defence.
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