Report: West Ham turn attention to new left-back target, another £900,000 will meet asking price

By Will Butcher

West Ham have turned their attention to Palermo left-back Achraf Lazaar as they step up their search for Aaron Cresswell's replacement.

Cresswell, 26, injured his knee in a pre-season friendly against German side Karlsruher and will be sidelined for up to four months.

Goal.com have claimed that West Ham are set to go head-to-head with Italian giants Roma for the Morocco international.

Lazaar, who can also play on the left-side of midfield, has less than 12 months remaining on his Rosanero deal and is available at a cut-price £3.4million.

Journalist Bruno Andrade, who wrote the article for Goal.com, claimed via his personal Twitter account that the Hammers were looking to pay £2.5million for the former Varese defender, £900,000 less than the asking price.

Andrade's translated tweet read: Lyon made a proposal of ‎€2million for Lazaar. Palermo wants at least ‎€4million. Rome and West Ham will try to offer ‎€3million.

Premier League rivals Swansea are also interested in signing the 24-year-old, while Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon have also been credited with an interest.

The 16-time capped international was integral to Palermo's Serie A campaign last season, making 30 domestic appearances for Davide Ballardini's side.

The Hammers have been linked with a whole clutch of names since Cresswell's injury, and have had bids for Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs and Norwich's Martin Olsson both rejected.

In other West Ham transfer news, this target has revealed that he will be joining the East London side.