- West Ham in advanced negotiations to sign Barca’s 19-year-old
- Barcelona keen to move players on to reduce their wage bill
- Hammers turned to Fort after failing to convince Casado
West Ham are in advanced talks to sign Barcelona full-back Fort on a season-long loan, according to a report from Sport. The 19-year-old has been given permission by the club to finalise a move and was absent from training on Friday morning ahead of Barca’s match against Levante. The deal is reportedly well-advanced and could be completed next week.
The move comes as Barcelona work to reduce their wage bill in order to register new players before the transfer deadline. West Ham had initially prioritised a move for Fort’s team-mate, midfielder Marc Casado, but the player is reportedly reluctant to join the London club, prompting a switch in focus to the full-back. Fort has found first-team opportunities limited under Hansi Flick and is seeking regular playing time. Fort was promoted to the Barcelona first-team squad last season as cover at right-back following the club’s failure to retain Joao Cancelo on a permanent basis. He was primarily used as back-up for Jules Kounde.
Flick commented on Casado’s future during a press conference on Friday, saying: “I’ve spoken to him. He doesn’t want to leave, and I don’t want him to. We need all the players, and he does what we want. We’re trying to achieve a lot this season, and that’s why we need all the players.”
If Fort is to leave Camp Nou, it will likely be on a temporary basis as his long-term ambition is to establish himself at Barcelona. While the Hammers are the frontrunners, they face competition from Premier League rivals Everton. Italian side Como and La Liga’s Mallorca have also registered their interest. With less than two weeks remaining in the transfer window, all parties are seeking a quick resolution, with the Premier League appearing to be Fort’s most likely destination.
