West Ham United have now submitted an offer for a £34m "revelation", who is also a target for Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, according to a report.
West Ham set sights on midfielder amid Soucek uncertainty
Tomas Soucek has been a key player for West Ham ever since his arrival, with the midfielder featuring in a minimum of 35 Premier League games in each of the last five seasons, but there has been speculation over his future at the London Stadium for quite some time.
With the Toffees now set to make a bid for the 30-year-old, the Hammers have started running the rule over potential replacements, and Bayer Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka was recently identified as a target.
The former Arsenal man could be a solid option, given that he has already proven himself in England, but the Switzerland international is not the only ex-Premier League player on the Irons' shortlist.
According to a report from Gazzetta Dello Sport (via West Ham Zone), West Ham have now tabled an offer for Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, having emerged as one of the clubs most keen on securing his signature, alongside Everton.
The Italian club had been hoping to receive a fee of £34m for the former Aston Villa man, but given that he has failed to impress since making the move to Italy, they may be forced to cash-in at a lower price.
In order to get a deal over the line, the Hammers may also have to fend off interest from bitter rivals Tottenham, who recently held internal talks about signing Luiz.
Luiz could be "revelation" at West Ham
Any club would find it difficult to replace Declan Rice, although Soucek has stepped up in the England international's absence, recording the third-highest average rating of any West Ham player in the Premier League last term.
However, with the Czechia international now edging closer to Everton, it could make sense to bring in a new midfielder with similar qualities to Rice, and the Juventus midfielder certainly fits the bill in that regard.
Much like Rice, the 27-year-old is a very well-rounded midfielder, impressing in both an attacking and defensive sense for Villa during the 2023-24 campaign.