West Ham plan to agree 'cut-price' Ben Nelson deal after transfer mission

West Ham United are plotting a move to sign Leicester City centre-back Ben Nelson as they step up their summer transfer plans.

The 22-year-old impressed for the Foxes last season in front of watching scouts, despite their relegation from the Championship, with clubs now lining up to lure him away.

Nuno Espirito Santo is determined to add another centre-back to his squad this summer as they prepare to lose their current options, and multiple targets are on his radar.

Former West Ham scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that the Irons have been impressed by Nelson and now believe they can do a deal at a cut-price fee.

Following Leicester's relegation to League One last time out, they are bracing for offers for their key players, but will struggle to hang on to them.

Nelson's likely availability and Championship experience has placed West Ham on alert, while they have high hopes for his development and believe he would be a shrewd signing.

Could West Ham make a move to sign Ben Nelson?

West Ham's interest in signing Nelson comes as Leicester are being forced to sell a number of key players given the high-profile interest in luring them away.

Teenager Jeremy Monga has completed a move to Man City, while Ipswich Town are closing in on the signing of Abdul Fatawu, who was also on the radar of West Ham's scouts.

Nelson could be the next major exit from the King Powre Stadium, with West Ham looking to take advantage of their situation to agree a deal at a reasonable price.

"West Ham are looking at a number of centre-backs to improve their squad," Brown told Football Insider.

"They're in a difficult position as always happens when a team drops into the Championship where they can't spend the money that they would like to spend on new players.

"They also can't shop in the same markets as Premier League clubs and have to look at other options, so when somebody like Nelson is available, he will be on their radar.

"He had a strong season individually in the Championship, and West Ham had scouts keeping a close eye on him and a number of Leicester's other top players.

"After Leicester got relegated, there is an expectation that their players will be available for cut-price fees, because they will not want to stick around in League One.

"West Ham could take advantage with that to sign Nelson, who ticks a lot of boxes for them as they aim to strengthen their squad for a season in the Championship."

Why do West Ham want to sign Nelson?

Nelson has been identified as one of a number of centre-back targets on West Ham's radar, as the position has become a priority for Nuno and his recruitment team.

This comes as a result of the lack of depth in the position, with Axel Disasi having returned to Chelsea, while they are bracing to receive offers for Konstantinos Mavropanos.

As a result, Brown told Football Insider in May that West Ham are facing a defensive "nightmare" and will scramble to sign at least two new centre-backs this summer.

If they are unable to land top-class replacements for their outgoing stars, there are concerns that Nuno's side could face major issues in the upcoming season.

Nelson has been identified as one of a number of targets for the position, and West Ham are now prepared to pursue a move for the 22-year-old.