Transfer reporter Alex Crook has passed on a message from majority owner David Sullivan to Everton about a deal with West Ham.
West Ham and Everton have shared a fair few column inches so far in this transfer window.
The Hammers and Toffees have been linked with mutual interest in a number of players.
West Ham and Everton are reportedly tussling to try and sign Lyon centre-back Jake O’Brien.
The Hammers are trying to hijack Everton’s move for Jackson Tchatchoua – a Cameroon international defender-cum-winger.
Both clubs were also keen on Jaden Philogene before he re-signed for Villa.
It has been over a week since West Ham told Hammers News the club’s focus is now on signing a striker.
Deal could be on the cards between Hammers and Toffees
Villa striker Jhon Duran has been one of the primary targets in West Ham’s sights since.
But the club exclusively told Hammers News at the weekend that the West Ham board won’t pay Villa’s £35m asking price for Duran.
Unless Aston Villa lower their valuation considerably, then that deal won’t be happening.
That has turned West Ham’s attentions to Everton instead and a certain Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
It has been confirmed Calvert-Lewin is on West Ham’s striker shortlist.
Head coach Julen Lopetegui and technical director Tim Steidten have him on the radar along with Youssef En-Nesyri, Armando Broja and Duran.
Now Alex Crook has passed on a message from David Sullivan to Everton about a West Ham deal.
Unlike Villa, it was thought Everton could be much more receptive to doing a reasonable deal with the Hammers for their striker.
Crook passes Sullivan message to Everton about West Ham deal
Especially as Calvert-Lewin is in the last year of his contract and it gives the Toffees a chance to bring some money in for a player with a history of injury problems.
Speaking in an evening transfer update on talkSPORT, reporter Crook revealed Everton had set a £40m asking price for Calvert-Lewin at the start of the window.
That’s £5m more than Villa want from West Ham from Duran – who is seven years Calvert-Lewin’s junior.
The message from Hammers chief Sullivan to the Toffees is quite clear, though.
Essentially lower the price considerably or forget about seeing the colour of West Ham’s money.
“The Everton striker has less than a year left on his contract, so the Toffees are likely to be open to a sale,” Crook states.
“However, their initial demands of £40 million were enough to put Newcastle offer earlier in the window.
‘Sullivan won’t pay anything close to £40m’
“West Ham owner David Sullivan is also highly unlikely to pay anything close to that, given Calvert-Lewin’s injury record.
“But it’s no secret the Hammers want a new striker and Calvert-Lewin is on their list.”
Some West Ham fans have been far from impressed with the links to Calvert-Lewin.
But it should be noted the striker did manage 38 games in all competitions for Everton last season, 29 of those starts.
The 28-year-old only managed eight goals and three assists. There are mitigating factors, though, given that chances are often few and far between for a striker playing in a Sean Dyche setup.
Calvert-Lewin did manage to record an average match rating of nearly 7/10 last term which is not to be sniffed at.
He is experienced, ticks the homegrown box and could hit the ground running.
The feeling among many Hammers supporters, though, is that there must be a younger and better option out there to spearhead the new Lopetegui era.
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