A reporter close to West Ham owner David Sullivan has made a James Maddison transfer claim but Newcastle are a problem.
West Ham fans remember only too well that the Hammers passed up the chance to sign James Maddison from Norwich before he joined Leicester.
The excellent England midfield playmaker has been the subject of intense transfer speculation ahead of the summer window.
With West Ham all but officially safe since that win over Man United recently, transfer planning can soon begin.
Newcastle United are pushing for a Champions League spot and will be looking to use their new-found riches to improve accordingly.
Eyes starting to turn to another big summer
Over the last few windows Newcastle and West Ham have been linked with mutual interest in a host of players.
So much so a report last summer described Newcastle’s interest in a series of alleged David Moyes targets as ‘obsessive’.
Newcastle reportedly made – ultimately unsuccessful – 11th hour bids to hijack West Ham’s £30m West Ham deal with Rennes for Moroccan defender Nayef Aguerd and the deal with PSG to sign Alphonse Areola.
The Magpies and Hammers were also said to have locked horns over Jesse Lingard, Sven Botman and Hugo Ekitike since Eddie Howe’s arrival at St James’ Park.
With Leicester looking likely to follow Southampton into the Championship, clubs will be eyeing up their top talent.
One of those is certainly Maddison.
With Declan Rice and Manuel Lanzini moving on this summer, West Ham will need to sign at least two top quality midfield players.
Now a reporter close to West Ham owner David Sullivan has made a Maddison transfer claim but Newcastle are a problem.
Reporter close to West Ham owner David Sullivan makes James Maddison transfer claim but Newcastle are a problem
Hughie Southon has close ties with majority stakeholder Sullivan.
And he has urged the club to push to sign Maddison with Leicester’s relegation looking likely.
“Should – as seems very likely now – Leicester City crash out of the Premier League West Ham must move in for James Maddison immediately… pronto!” Southon said.
“We missed out despite a lot of interest when he when leaving Norwich City. He will not want to the Championship football and this is West Ham’s second chance.
“Leicester City are a selling club. That is probably why they are where they are tonight and Maddison should be a major target for us.”
Maddison, with 10 goals and nine assists from just 27 starts this season, would be a fantastic signing for West Ham.
But it has long been known he is being lined up for a summer move to Newcastle.
Howe tried to sign him in the summer and January and is set to finally get his man this summer according to the likes of Chronicle Live.
Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth was in the crowd watching Maddison during the 3-0 defeat to Liverpool on Monday night.
New West Ham DoF must focus on getting the next Maddison before they make a name for themselves
With Newcastle now able to now pay mega wages and likely to be in the Champions League, they will be a very attractive proposition.
Any very optimistic West Ham hopes of such a signing would also be threatened by Spurs, who have long been linked with Maddison too.
Shame because he would be a big hit at West Ham. The Hammers should have been the ones to sign him in the first place when he left Norwich.
And identifying these players at that stage of their careers must be the focus for any new director of football on their way into the club this summer.
The report also suggests a move for James Ward-Prowse – and that is certainly a signing West Ham should be all over following Southampton’s relegation.
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