A new report claims relegation rivals Everton want West Ham contract rebel Ben Johnson by the transfer deadline.
Everton have told confirmed West Ham managerial target Sean Dyche as their new manager.
Many feel Dyche will help keep the Toffees up in the eight-team battle to beat the drop.
And West Ham had better hope their dithering over David Moyes does not come back to bite them.
Everton are already looking to spend the £40m they have just received for Anthony Gordon by moving for West Ham players it seems.
The Toffees have been heavily linked with a move for striker Michail Antonio again in the last 24 hours despite Moyes’ insistence he does not want to sell the unhappy Jamaican.
Now Football Insider claims Everton want to sign contract rebel Johnson too.
Johnson has thus far refused to sign a new deal with West Ham with talks off the table ever since The Athletic revealed the West Ham academy graduate had snubbed a six-and-a-half-year contract at the club.
Football Insider believes Everton now want to take advantage, claiming Dyche has immediately sanctioned a move for the 23-year-old, who he is said to be a huge fan of due to his versatility.
Johnson, who can play right-back, centre-back and left-back – but has failed to impress consistently in any of those positions – is out of contract in the summer of 2024.
And the new exclusive report claims Everton want to bring him to Goodison Park.
As things stand, allowing Johnson to leave right now – especially for a direct relegation rival – would be madness and is therefore surely extremely unlikely.
On the flip side West Ham may see this as a chance to cash in on a player who is refusing to sign a new contract – but only if the club have a replacement lined up before the window closes.
West Ham have already strengthened a direct relegation rival this month by allowing Craig Dawson to join Wolves. That was despite Moyes being fully aware of his personal issues for the five months leading up to the January window.