Newcastle have hit West Ham with a Hammer blow by hijacking the reported January transfer plan to sign Arsenal star Emile Smith Rowe.
Last summer a report described Newcastle United’s interest in a series of West Ham targets as ‘obsessive’.
It was easy to see why as the Magpies lived up to their name by trying to steal in on West Ham’s shiny targets.
West Ham had to fight off late hijack attempts by Newcastle to sign both Nayef Aguerd and Alphonse Areola.
The Hammers and Newcastle were also locked in transfer battles for Jesse Lingard, Sven Botman and Hugo Ekitike over the last 18 months or so.
Eddie Howe has spoken of his interest in signing Lucas Paqueta before he joined West Ham – a deal Newcastle simply could not afford financially at the time.
And in the summer Newcastle United beat West Ham to Harvey Barnes.
Now Newcastle have hit West Ham with a Hammer blow by hijacking their reported January transfer plan to sign Arsenal star Emile Smith Rowe.
Less than two weeks ago it was claimed that West Ham are monitoring Smith Rowe’s situation having reportedly tried but failed to sign him in a last gasp deal during the summer.
A report stated that the exciting midfielder could be open to joining the Hammers as he ‘weighs up his options’ ahead of the January transfer window.
But now Newcastle are on the case. Again.
The Mirror claims Smith Rowe has fallen below Mikel Arteta’s lofty expectations and reports that Newcastle are serious about a move for the 23-year-old ahead of the January window.
With Champions League knockout football likely to be on offer and the lure of potentially competing at that level with the Magpies on a regular basis, that’s very bad news for West Ham.
The reports linking the east Londoners with Smith Rowe lately had suggested he was being eyed as a replacement for Paqueta as West Ham came close to selling the Brazilian to Man City.
That deal collapsed amid the illegal betting allegations but it has been reported it could be resurrected which may explain the new West Ham links to Smith Rowe.
West Ham may yet have the trump cards, though. Staying in London and the prospect of more regular game time – should he be a replacement for Paqueta – could sway things in David Moyes’ favour should it come down to a straight choice.
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