Imagine him & Bowen: GSB can form "monster" duo as WHU eye move for £12.6m-rated gem - opinion

West Ham United have been linked with a move for Atalanta full-back Joakim Maehle recently and the Danish defender could form a superb partnership with Jarrod Bowen in David Moyes’ side next season.

According to the Daily Star, the Hammers sent scouts to watch Denmark in action against Austria earlier this week, with Maehle and Christian Eriksen said to be their main focus of attention.

They also suggest that the Hammers have been tracking the defender for some time and were keen to sign him during his time at Genk before he made the move to Italy in 2020.

Since then, he has gone on to make 60 appearances for the Serie A side, in which he has contributed three goals and four assists.

The 25-year-old is more than capable of playing at left-back, left-midfield and right-midfield as well as right-back, so could offer Moyes some versatility next season.

Maehle also has nine goals in 28 caps for Denmark and was extremely impressive at the European Championships last summer as Kasper Hjulmand’s side reached the semi-finals, before being knocked out by England.

Ian Wright was full of praise for the defender after he produced a superb assist for Kasper Dolberg in their quarter-final win against the Czech Republic, saying:

“Maehle has been fantastic in this tournament. He has scored the last couple of games but that is probably one of the passes of the tournament so far for me.”

If West Ham can bring the £12.6m-rated man to the London Stadium this summer, then Maehle could form a dangerous duo with Bowen down the Hammers’ right-hand side.

Last season saw the defender notch 11 goals and four assists for club and country, which emphasises his attacking quality, and after Bowen’s exploits last season, which saw the England