Bid submitted: West Ham make £16m+ bid to sign "machine" instead of Soler

West Ham United have made an offer to sign an apparent Carlos Soler alternative late in the summer transfer window.

West Ham summer signings – all ins and outs

Julen Lopetegui is now into his first campaign in charge of the Irons, with technical director Tim Steidten leading transfer activity behind the scenes at the London Stadium.

It has been an eventful transfer market for the Hammers, with the club bringing in nine new players and moving some others on.

There could be some late activity before Friday’s deadline, too, with Lopetegui addressing the club’s plans last week: "In this time before the market closes, for everyone it's still not certain who might come and go.

"It's true that you have to keep competing in the market while working towards games. Once the market is closed I think the players are fully focused, but we have to adapt. For sure I would prefer the market to be closed before the start of the season."

One player who has been heavily linked with a move to West Ham is PSG midfielder Soler. The club have been locked in talks with the French giants, however, an alternative target appears to have been identified, with an offer going in for his services.

West Ham make bid for Richard Rios

According to reporter Pipe Sierra, relayed by The Boot Room, West Ham have made an offer of $22m (£16.6m) to sign Palmeiras midfielder Richard Rios. However, that bid has reportedly been turned down by Palmeiras, who don’t want to part ways with the player at this moment in time.

“Palmeiras rejected $22m (£16.6m) from West Ham for Richard Rios (24). The Brazilian team said they did not want to negotiate his departure. For now, there is no further progress from the London team.”

A Colombia international, Rios is primarily a central midfielder who can play in a deeper role or on the left, so would have given Lopetegui a versatile option in midfield.

Valued at a career-high €10m by Transfermarkt, Rios only joined Palmeiras last year and spent time with fellow Brazilian sides Flamengo and Guarani prior to that.

Also linked with Everton and Leicester City earlier this summer, it doesn’t look as if Rios, a "ball-carrying machine" as dubbed by Ben Mattinson, will be moving to England before the deadline.