West Ham keeping tabs on Freiburg goalkeeper who was on the wishlist of ex-Nigeria coach Peseiro

Germany U21 international of Nigerian descent Noah Atubolu is attracting interest from the Premier League.

Transfer market guru Fabrizio Romano has reported that the Hammers have been scouting SC Freiburg shot-stopper Atubolu with a view to signing him in the future.

Aged 22 years, the dual-national player is the second youngest goalkeeper to feature in this season's Bundesliga, behind Eintracht Frankfurt's Kauã Santos.

Atubolu was a player of interest to former Nigeria boss Jose Peseiro before the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations but the Portuguese football tactician admitted that it would be difficult to convince him to switch his international allegiance from Germany to Nigeria due to his talent and prospects with the German national team.

The German-Nigerian was installed as first choice goalkeeper at Freiburg last season following the sale of Netherlands international Mark Flekken to Premier League club Brentford.

Atubolu has made 61 first team appearances for Freiburg and has posted twenty-one clean sheets, including fourteen in the German top flight. 

With 39-year-old Lukasz Fabianski now West Ham's first-choice goalkeeper after replacing 31-year-old Alphonse Areola, the Hammers view Atubolu as a potential long-term solution.

West Ham's talent spotters are keeping a close eye on Atubolu who has strong connections to SC Freiburg, having been born in the city and developed through their academy.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit: dfb.de

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