Kyle Macaulay outfoxing former club Chelsea with clever West Ham move to snatch star from under their noses

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Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly may be rueing a £1.2m decision which could end up costing him a whole lot more because of West Ham.

If anyone has the inside track on Chelsea’s summer transfer plans, it is West Ham’s head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay.

It was part of the agreement when West Ham appointed Graham Potter that David Sullivan would get recruitment guru Macaulay out of Chelsea.

Potter and Macaulay have worked together at every club the Hammers boss has managed so far.

The Scottish talent spotter is well respected in the game and has made his name identifying top young talent across Europe – as he proved at Brighton and Chelsea.

Boehly’s £1.2m West Ham decision could cost Chelsea dear

The Hammers paid the Blues £1.2m to reunite Macaulay with Potter midway through the January window.

It came too late for it to really make an impact on business in that particular window.

Although Chelsea were one of a reported 19 clubs West Ham beat to the signing of Evan Ferguson.

What it has done is allow Macaulay an uninterrupted run at getting West Ham’s transfer plans in place for the summer window, which opens on June 1st this year.

There will be few people in football who know or understand Chelsea’s transfer targets or priorities for the summer like Macaulay.

And one of the first deals he is lining up for Potter’s West Ham rebuild proves that.

Because Macaulay is outfoxing former club Chelsea with a clever West Ham move to snatch a star from under their noses.

Give Me Sport have claims Macaulay and his West Ham scouts have ramped up their interest in Dutch striker sensation Emanuel Emegha.

It comes after football Correspondent Graeme Bailey recently confirmed to Hammers News that West Ham remain interested in Emegha after considering a move when Macaulay first arrived in January.

It’s become clear why West Ham’s new head of recruitment immediately targeted the giant 22-year-old since – both on and off the pitch.

Macaulay outfoxing former club Chelsea with West Ham move

Because on it, he has 14 goals and assists in 23 games to lead Strasbourg to the brink of Champions League football.

And off it, Macaulay knows he is a player in Chelsea’s sights.

The new report claims West Ham have watched Emegha very closely of late and have decided he is the striker they want to lead Potter’s young blood overhaul in east London.

Especially as the Hammers look likely to miss out on the likes of Liam Delap – with Chelsea also interested in him.

The report mentions Chelsea remain interested in Emegha too.

But what it completely misses is the real reason Macaulay is now pushing to get the all-action striker in the door.

Chiefly because UEFA are set to give the Hammers a major leg up over their London rivals.

Emegha’s club Strasbourg are owned by BlueCo, a consortium led by Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

That essentially makes them a feeder club for Enzo Maresca’s side.

However, switched on Macaulay will be well aware UEFA could be about to block Chelsea from signing any Strasbourg players.

The Ligue 1 side, managed by Liam Rosenior – the son of former West Ham hero Leroy – are one point off an automatic Champions League spot and have all the momentum going into the run-in.

Hammers to snatch star from under Chelsea’s noses

If they make it, Chelsea – who are fourth in the Premier League, where the top five will qualify for the Champions League – will have to take drastic action to avoid sanctions if they and Strasbourg both end up at UEFA’s top table.

Or else they face the threat of European expulsion.

BlueCo would have to pause their involvement in Strasbourg via a trust.

Chelsea and Strasbourg would then not be able to transfer players to one another or use a shared scouting database until the end date of the trust.

That’s why Macaulay has been accelerating interest in Emegha, knowing the path may soon be clear to get a deal done for the exciting and powerful forward.

And it is perhaps telling that Maresca has in the last 24 hours defended Nicolas Jackson, saying he is the striker he wants up front for Chelsea.