WEST HAM IN AUDACIOUS DOUBLE SWOOP ON MAN UTD TO REPLACE TWO IMPORTANT STARTERS; MOYES ‘VERY KEEN’ ON THIRD PREM SIGNING
West Ham have two Manchester United players in their sights as David Moyes prepares for a busy summer transfer window, according to a report.
West Ham had a disappointing season in the Premier League, ultimately finishing in 14th place after previously being involved in a relegation battle. Moyes had managed to guide West Ham to successive top-seven finishes in the two previous campaigns so Irons supporters will be expecting a far higher league finish next time around.
West Ham could still end up having a successful season, though. They have beaten the likes of Gent and AZ Alkmaar on their way to reaching the Europa Conference League final.
Moyes’ men will come up against Fiorentina in the competition’s showpiece event on Wednesday evening. England star Declan Rice has the chance to become the first West Ham captain to lift a major European trophy since the legendary Bobby Moore in 1965. The club’s last major domestic trophy was the 1980 FA Cup.
Unfortunately for Moyes and the entire West Ham faithful, the Europa Conference League final may be the last time Rice plays in a West Ham shirt. The midfielder has been heavily linked with a summer transfer away from East London as he edges closer to his contract expiring – it runs until June 2024.
Arsenal would love to sign Rice, although they will face competition from Manchester United, Manchester City and Bayern.
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According to a report from Football Transfers, Moyes has drawn up a three-man list of potential replacements for Rice. A raid on Man Utd could occur as Moyes is interested in Scotland ace Scott McTominay.
The 26-year-old has spent his entire career at Man Utd so far, but that could be about to change. He has not started as often as he would like under Erik ten Hag and will fall further down the pecking order if Rice heads to Old Trafford. Due to this, McTominay will likely be attracted by the prospect of joining West Ham if they submit an offer for him.
West Ham eye Man Utd, Chelsea players
Moyes also likes the look of energetic Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher. He would ideally like to remain at Chelsea and become an integral player at Stamford Bridge, though he may fall victim to Chelsea’s lavish spending and the subsequent Financial Fair Play sanctions they are trying to avoid.
Football Transfers add that Moyes is ‘very keen’ on Southampton talisman James Ward-Prowse. The set-piece specialist should be available for a reduced price this summer following Southampton’s relegation to the Championship.
Should West Ham end up landing McTominay from that three-man wish list, then a double raid on Man Utd could occur. The report reveals West Ham are hoping to revamp their goalkeeper options with the capture of Dean Henderson.
The 26-year-old is unlikely to be handed as much game time as he would like by Ten Hag next season. Due to this, it would make sense for him to move on so he can become an important first-team player elsewhere and potentially get into the England team.
West Ham should be able to offer him that exact opportunity as they are in need of a successor for veteran keeper Lukasz Fabianski, who will likely retire in the next few years.
Rice leaving West Ham will clearly be a huge blow given his influence on the way the team plays and the club as a whole. However, bringing in McTominay as a replacement could turn out to be a good move. When paired with the right central midfielder, McTominay can prove to be a handful for the opposition. On the international stage with Scotland recently, he has shown he can get on the scoresheet with some good finishes.
Fabianski hanging up his gloves will also be a blow for West Ham as the Pole has managed some important saves during Moyes’ successful second spell in charge. But Henderson would almost certainly be an upgrade. And at 26, Henderson could provide the Irons with at least eight years of service.
2023-06-06T08:47:00Z dg43tfdfdgfd