West Ham are one of a host of teams interested in signing Bochum defensive midfielder Cajetan Lenz, according to reports.

Sky Germany‘s Florian Plettenberg claims the Hammers are “monitoring” the 19-year-old’s situation along with several Bundesliga clubs. When he asked Lenz’s agent Makram Naceur about the interest, he verified that enquiries had been lodged:

“I can confirm that many clubs, both national and international, have made contact. However, Cajetan is fully focused on his boyhood club, VfL Bochum.”

Lenz is currently playing in Germany’s second tier, so you would expect that a move to the London Stadium would be an attractive proposition.

What do West Ham fans need to know about the player?

As Lenz’s representative mentions, the teenager has come up through the ranks at Bochum, having made his senior debut for the German club only in August against Darmstadt. He came on for the final 10 minutes of the 4-1 defeat.

Since then, the midfielder has made 13 more appearances, having scored his first goal against Eintracht Braunschweig earlier this month.

Lenz also found the back of the net in his next appearance versus Dynamo Dresden at the weekend.

At international level, the youngster has been capped by Germany at Under-19 and Under-20 level, with all his caps coming this calendar year.

Lenz is likely to have been identified by West Ham’s top scout

Max Hahn is the Irons’ Head of Scouting. His job is to find transfer targets based on data. He is also of the same nationality as Lenz.

It would stand to reason, then, that the club’s interest in the young midfielder is based on his recommendation.

We shall have to wait and see whether they will follow up with a bid for Lenz in January or at the end of the season.

Read more about the West Ham First Team Squad for 2025/26 here