West Ham are closing in on completing the signing of Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic, as reported by Tuttosport.

What's the latest transfer news involving Milenkovic?

Milenkovic has been linked with a move to the east London club in recent weeks, and, according to the Italian outlet, his move to West Ham is edging nearer to completion.

The 6 foot 5 centre-back is reportedly ready to travel to the English capital to finalise the move shortly.

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When will the deal be confirmed?

The transfer appears to be imminent, although it has been claimed that West Ham may have to wait a little longer for everything to go through.

Fiorentina seem to be waiting to complete a deal for Matija Nastasic before they allow Milenkovic to move to the Premier League.

Tuttosport believe that the Irons may not sign Milenkovic until after August 15, which is the day of their opening league game against Newcastle, meaning that he would not be available for their trip to St James' Park.

Will this signing end West Ham's pursuit of Kurt Zouma?

West Ham have shown interest in Chelsea's Kurt Zouma but the Blues are continuing to demand £25m for the defender.

Given that Milenkovic is set to cost €16m (£13.6m), it seems likely that David Moyes' side will only sign one of the two centre-backs that they have been linked with.

With the Milenkovic deal reportedly almost done, this may signal the end of West Ham's pursuit of Zouma.

Is Milenkovic a more important signing for West Ham than Alphonse Areola?

He will be.

At the end of last month, West Ham signed goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan deal. 

The shot-stopper won the World Cup with France in 2018, and had an impressive season on loan at Fulham last term, proving that he is good enough to succeed in the Premier League. He looks to be an excellent addition to the Hammers' squad but Milenkovic will be even more important to the team if he completes his move to the London Stadium.

This is due to West Ham badly needing a new centre-back by the end of the transfer window. While West Ham can call on the experienced Lukasz Fabianski if Areola is unavailable, the side's current central defensive options do not look anywhere near as strong.

Craig Dawson, Angelo Ogbonna and Winston Reid are all the wrong side of 30, and Issa Diop has blown hot and cold during his time at the club. West Ham need someone who can come in and offer stability at the back for years to come, and Milenkovic looks to be the perfect player to fulfill this role.