West Ham’s loan offer for Harry Maguire has been rejected by Manchester United, while their £45m bid for João Palhinha was turned down by Fulham. After selling Declan Rice to Arsenal for a hefty sum of £105m, West Ham is eager to spend and has intensified its pursuit of two key targets. They are looking to replace Rice with two midfielders, with talks also being held for Ajax’s Edson Álvarez. Additionally, David Moyes is keen on bringing in a central defender, hence his interest in Maguire.
United is open to offers for Maguire, who is evaluating his options after being informed that he is not part of Ten Hag’s long-term plans. However, it won’t be easy to move him. West Ham is exploring the possibility of a loan deal, potentially with an option to buy. The club believes that the cost of permanently signing the England centre-back is too high. Maguire’s increased salary following United’s Champions League qualification is also a hurdle for West Ham, who find little value in paying a substantial fee for a 30-year-old player. Although United is expected to incur a significant loss on Maguire, they are motivated to raise funds by offloading unwanted players.
Finding potential buyers for Maguire may be challenging due to his decreased value during his time at Old Trafford, particularly with him making only eight starts in the Premier League last season. Maguire must play regularly to secure his place in the England squad before Euro 2024, so he faces a decision on whether to persist with United or accept a transfer.
Moyes seeks competition for Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma, with the latter having a patchy fitness record. While West Ham has extended Angelo Ogbonna’s contract, the 35-year-old Italian’s age raises concerns, and there’s uncertainty surrounding Thilo Kehrer’s future.
After selling Rice, West Ham is under pressure to make acquisitions, but they haven’t been swift in their actions. Fulham demands £80m for Palhinha, making West Ham skeptical about their chances of signing the Portuguese international, despite suggestions that £50m could be sufficient. Álvarez is another option, although concerns exist regarding the associated fees of signing the Mexican midfielder. He came close to joining Borussia Dortmund last month, but the deal fell through during negotiations. Ajax is seeking £45m for Álvarez, who was nearly signed by Chelsea last summer.
West Ham has explored the possibility of loaning Juventus midfielder Denis Zakari and is expected to lose out to Newcastle in the race for Leicester winger Harvey Barnes. Other midfield targets for West Ham include Bristol City’s Alex Scott, Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse, and Everton’s Amadou Onana.
Bournemouth continues to show interest in Scott but faces competition from Wolves in their pursuit of the 19-year-old. Bournemouth’s offer of £15m plus add-ons was rejected, and Wolves have also had two bids turned down, the latest totaling close to £22m. Julen Lopetegui has made Scott the top priority, and Wolves are expected to come back with a third offer. The Championship club is seeking at least £25m for Scott, who has attracted attention from several Premier League sides.
On another note, Bournemouth has secured a £15.5m deal with AZ Alkmaar to sign Hungary left-back Milos Kerkez. The 19-year-old defender had serious interest from Lazio and other European clubs but chose Bournemouth over them. Kerkez’s arrival addresses a key position for Bournemouth, as they were lacking depth at left-back.
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