'They definitely like him': Insider drops evening Everton transfer news, £20m move a possibility

Everton centre-back Michael Keane is admired by West Ham United but isn’t regarded as a ‘tier-one target’. 

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who was speaking to GiveMeSport on Sunday evening.

The Daily Star’s Harry Pratt reported last month that West Ham want to sign another centre-back ahead of next season, and Keane features their shortlist.

Current West Ham manager and former Everton boss David Moyes is said to rate Keane highly after their brief time together at Manchester United.

Moyes is ready to offer the Englishman an ‘immediate route back to the Premier League‘ if his team are relegated – the 29-year-old would apparently cost the Irons as much as £20million.

Everton are currently in the bottom three, two points behind Leeds and Burnley with a game in hand. A ‘major exodus‘ is anticipated if they fall into the second tier.

Keane has played 182 times for the club to date, scoring ten goals and providing seven assists, and also racked up 12 caps for his country.

Jones tells GMS that West Ham are ‘definitely’ fans of Keane but expects them to assess other options on the continent and potential free transfers before turning to the Everton man.

“I think they’ll look on the continent first and also the free agent market is opening up quite nicely,” he said.

“It’s a tricky one because they definitely like him, but he’s not a tier one target, I wouldn’t say.”

If West Ham do make a move for Keane, then Everton may already have a potential replacement in mind.

The Daily Mail claim that they like Hoffenheim’s Florian Grillitsch, who’s set to be a free agent come the summer when his contract expires.

Grillitsch is listed as a defensive midfielder but he’s played the majority of his football this season as a