Moyes can land Koulibaly 2.0 as West Ham eye £9m-rated "throwback" who players "hate" - opinion

Italian football expert Conor Clancy has been discussing reported West Ham United transfer target Arthur Theate.

In a recent interview with Football FanCast, Clancy went into detail about the Bologna defender and his “old school” style of play, amid reports that the Hammers have been offered the chance to sign the promising 21-year-old this summer as David Moyes plots a new centre-back signing.

Asked just what type of player the young centre-back is, the journalist said: “He’s almost like a throwback in how he approaches defending. He’s a little bit in your face, he can be a bit aggressive – if he bit someone I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s just an ugly defender, you’d hate to play against him because he could give you a smack.

“But when he has the ball as well he can play. He’s a modern defender crossed with an old school defender in that way – I quite like him.”

The old-fashioned, no-nonsense defender has almost become a dying breed in the modern game, although that assessment of the young Belgian would suggest that he is very much a traditional defender first and foremost, with the £2.5k-per-week gem likely to thrive under Moyes’ tutelage.

Despite his youth, the Liege-born starlet has already been called up for senior international duty, making his two Belgium appearances to date against Wales and the Republic of Ireland.

At club level, Theate has shone as part of a youthful and exciting Bologna side, averaging 1.4 interceptions, 1.1 tackles and two clearances per game in Serie A in the 2021/22 campaign, having only joined the club from Oostende last summer on a season-long loan deal.

Having included an obligation to buy in that move, however, it will be the Italian club with whom the Hammers will be dealing in the