West Ham Swoop For €15m AC Milan Target Ozan Kabak, Italian Giants Hold Talks With Star Defender

STUTTGART, GERMANY - APRIL 13: Ozan Kabak of VfB Stuttgart battles for possession with Leon Bailey of Bayer 04 Leverkusen during the Bundesliga match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Mercedes-Benz Arena on April 13, 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Bongarts/Getty Images)

West Ham are interested in Stuttgart defender Ozan Kabak a source close to the player revealed to Turkish-Football.

The Hammers have made contact with Kabak’s representatives and are expected to launch a formal offer.

AC Milan are currently favorites to land the Turkey international and have been locked in talks with his agent in Italy.

The Serie A outfit are prepared to activate Kabak’s €15m release clause.

The defender’s camp are considering the current offers and will make a final decision next week.

The 19-year-old joined Stuttgart on an €11m move from Galatasaray last January but has a €15m clause which became activated following relegation from the Bundesliga.

The highly-rated young defender enjoyed a meteoric rise after breaking into the Galatasaray first-team from the academy last September.

Kabak established himself as a first-team star at the Lions in both the Super Lig and Champions League.

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The rising star earned himself a high profile move to Stuttgart in January and despite relegation, he was widely praised and named Bundesliga ‘Rookie of the Season’.

Kabak scored three times in 15 Bundesliga games last term and made 17 appearances in Turkey.

The powerful centre-back also earned himself a place in the senior Turkey national team as one of the youngest players in the squad.