Arsenal admit defeat to bluffing West Ham as desperate move is launched

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West Ham look set to win a transfer battle with Arsenal as desperation dictates the actions of both sides ahead of Monday’s deadline.

The January transfer window slams shut in four days and it’s no secret that West Ham and Arsenal are both trying to sign a striker.

That has seen a mutual interest from the Hammers and Gunners in a number of targets including Jhon Duran and Evan Ferguson.

West Ham’s latest of several attempts to bag a new forward has been rebuffed.

But it looks to be all part of a cunning game to beat Arsenal to a striker who is very much available.

Arsenal’s striker desperation is arguably greater than West Ham’s given what is potentially at stake for the Mikel Arteta’s side this season compared to the Hammers.

The Gunners are still fighting for the Premier League title and are now in the last 16 of the Champions League.

West Ham and Arsenal risk wrath of fans over striker signing

Arsenal have a League Cup semi-final to come too – but face an uphill battle to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit away at Newcastle.

Graham Potter will be without Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug long-term.

West Ham have little but league position left to play for.

So along with West Ham’s owners, Potter must decide whether to push for a striker now or bide his time until the summer.

But if Arsenal or West Ham fail to sign a new forward, they will be risking the wrath of their respective fanbases.

There is no doubt signing a quality striker in January is notoriously difficult.

However, some of West Ham’s best ever business has come in the January window – including Jarrod Bowen, Tomas Soucek, Jesse Lingard and Dean Ashton in years gone by.

Arsenal admit defeat to bluffing West Ham

Both the Irons and Arsenal have been heavily linked with Brighton striker Ferguson.

West Ham confirmed their interest in Ferguson recently but stated a deal looked unlikely as he was dealing with an ongoing injury.

This week West Ham confirmed they are trying to sign Ferguson but face a major hurdle.

Namely the fact they are competing with 20 other clubs for the Irishman – including Arsenal.

On Monday, a top journalist claimed Ferguson will join West Ham over Arsenal before the deadline.

But speculation of interest from Arteta has not gone away. Until now.

Because it seems Arsenal have admitted defeat to bluffing West Ham as a desperate move is launched.

Ferguson has been West Ham’s number one target ever since appointing Potter, the man who brought him to the Premier League.

West Ham have been linked with a number of other strikers from Andre Silva to Brian Brobbey.

Deals have been reported as being close and last night West Ham launched another bid for PSV striker Ricardo Pepi.

It all seems to be a cunning ploy and brinkmanship to force Brighton to do a deal with the Hammers for Ferguson.

West Ham know the only way Arsenal can sign Ferguson is to buy him outright.

Because the Gunners cannot add another Premier League loan as they already have their quote of two in Raheem Sterling and Neto.

Desperate Arsenal move is good news for Hammers

Signing Ferguson permanently when he is coming back from an ankle injury – having had ankle surgery in the not-too-distant past – would be a risk for Arsenal.

West Ham do have a loan slot available to them. But the east Londoners know they will most likely have to agree to an obligation to buy Ferguson to win the race.

That in itself is a gamble for the Hammers, who have had much-publicised struggles getting it right when spending big on forwards over the last 15 years.

Bayer Leverkusen looked like being favourites for Ferguson when they were selling Victor Boniface to Al Nassr.

As revealed on Hammers News yesterday, though, Al Nassr chose to sign Duran instead in a stunning twist.

That has put paid to Leverkusen’s move for Ferguson, which was being funded by Boniface’s departure.

And that has now ironically cleared the path for West Ham to prove Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath right – that Ferguson is on course to join them over Arsenal by Monday’s deadline.

The clearest sign yet that Arsenal have pulled out of the race for Ferguson came overnight.

The Gunners launched a rather desperate £60m last ditch move for 29-year-old Ollie Watkins, news that was confirmed by Unai Emery himself on Sky Sports.

It is a strange move given Arsenal know Villa are selling Duran and are therefore clearly not going to be open to selling Watkins too.

It may be giving West Ham too much credit to suggest they are pulling off a transfer masterclass in the move for Ferguson.

But their on-off moves for alternative forwards seem to be bluffs to Brighton that they will look elsewhere unless they agree to a deal for their 20-year-old Irishman Ferguson.