IPSWICH are in talks with West Ham star Ben Johnson.
The right-back is out of contract at the London Stadium this summer and talks are progressing well over a free transfer to Portman Road.
Johnson has been offered a lucrative new deal to stay at the Hammers.
But the defender is keen to increase his playing time and is leaning towards leaving.
There has also been interest in the 24-year-old from Crystal Palace.
Johnson joined West Ham’s academy at the age of seven and has made 109 appearances for his boyhood club.
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But he struggled for minutes last season under David Moyes, starting just seven games in all competitions.
New boss Julen Lopetegui is ready to enter the transfer market to bolster his squad ahead of the new season.
He is keen on a reunion with Wolves star Max Kilman, with West Ham seeing an opening bid worth £25million rejected.
The club are also supposedly nearing the signing of goalkeeper Wes Foderingham on a free transfer from Sheffield United.
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West Ham have already signed Brazilian wonderkid Luis Guilherme for £25million.
Meanwhile, Ipswich are in the market for a centre-back and have been linked with Liverpool’s Nat Phillips and Hull’s Jacob Greaves.
Who is Julen Lopetegui?
Julen Lopetegui enjoyed a 17-year career as a goalkeeper for the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
He won the LaLiga title with Real Madrid in 1990 and two Spanish Super Cups with Barcelona, before stepping into management in 2003.
He began coaching as an assistant for Spain’s U17s side, before stints with Rayo Vallecano and Real Madrid’s B team.
Lopetegui then returned to the Spain set-up to manage their various age group teams, leaving in 2014 for the Porto job.
He landed Spain’s top job in 2016 and spent two years at the helm of the national team, but was dismissed before the 2018 World Cup after it was announced he would become Real Madrid boss after the tournament.
The Spaniard was sacked after just two months at the Bernabeu following a dismal spell.
He joined Sevilla in 2019 and won the Europa League with them the following year.
Lopetegui departed Sevilla in 2022 and joined Wolves in the November, guiding them to a 13th place finish.
He left in August of last year, shortly before the start of the season, before Gary O’Neil replaced him.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
