West Ham United have anchored themselves into sixth place, with a game in hand on seventh-placed Manchester United. Despite an impressive start to the 2023/24 season under David Moyes, Thilo Kehrer is likely to depart the squad in the coming days for Ligue 1 giants AS Monaco, according to reports from Matteo Moretto and Fabrizio Romano.
AS Monaco ‘Closing in’ On West Ham’s Thilo Kehrer
🚨⚪️🔴 AS Monaco are closing in on deal to sign Thilo Kehrer from West Ham for January window.
Deal at the final stages between the two clubs.@MatteMoretto 🤝🏻 pic.twitter.com/Bieg5Mg4qa
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 31, 2023
West Ham Sale ‘at Final Stages’
According to renowned transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, AS Monaco are “closing in on a deal to sign” the West Ham defender, who has struggled to break into the starting eleven this season. Last season, the German defender was a staple of Moyes’ side and featured 27 times in the league. However this season, Kehrer has only been used to cover for absentees, with only four Premier League appearances in 2023/24.
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According to reports, the deal is “at the final stages between the two clubs”. Monaco are currently third in Ligue 1 this campaign and only two points away from second place OGC Nice. Despite a solid start to the season, Stade Brestois are chasing them for the final Champions League spot. Adding Kehrer could be a key moment in the season if he can adapt to Adi Hutter’s three-back system.
Kehrer’s Potential Role with Monaco
The 27-year-old is capable of playing any defensive position, although he is most often used at centre-back. Former player and manager Harry Redknapp praised the German for his versatility after his vital performance to lift his side to victory over Manchester United in May.
Four years with Paris Saint-Germain should mean he has ample experience in Ligue 1 for Monaco to utilize. The Monegasque club usually fields three defenders, meaning the German defender will have to compete fiercely for one of the coveted positions.
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Kehrer has been labelled a “goal-threat” as a result of his intelligent positioning and movement in set pieces. Monaco are not a high-scoring side, so the opportunity to add a fast and versatile defender with the ability to be a nuisance from corners and free kicks will be a welcome one.
While his tenure at West Ham has not been perfect, the Schalke youth academy graduate could still end up playing Champions League football if his fortunes improve and he leads the Ligue 1 outfit to a strong league finish.
