Truth as double Chelsea deal touted for West Ham United after Mauricio Pochettino makes decision on two targets.
West Ham have been linked with two particular Chelsea stars for some time in the shape of Conor Gallagher and Ian Maatsen.
And ahead of the January transfer window the young Chelsea midfielder and left-back are once again being reported as West Ham targets.
According to a recent report from 90min, Gallagher is firmly on the West Ham radar for the winter window despite being a regular for Chelsea this season.
So eyebrows were raised this week when The Athletic claimed Chelsea are prepared to listen to offers of over £40m for Gallagher in January.
Truth as double Chelsea deal touted for West Ham
And The Sun’s Alan Nixon reports that the Hammers want to sign the Blues’ Dutch left-back Maatsen. He also claimed £20m would be enough for West Ham to get a player they chased in the summer.
But here’s the truth as the double Chelsea deal is touted for West Ham after those Mauricio Pochettino decisions.
Earlier this month, the top source inside West Ham made the club’s stance on Maatsen perfectly clear.
The key figures inside the Hammers told Claret and Hugh there is absolutely no truth to claims of West Ham’s interest in the Blues left-back.
“It’s another totally made up story – a situation which is happening two or three times a week and it’s not even transfer window time yet,” the key source said.
“It really is very irritating.”
Pochettino decision to sell duo
The Gallagher situation may well have interested West Ham after they sold Declan Rice in the summer.
But the fact of the matter is, the Hammers no longer need a central midfielder. Tim Steidten and David Moyes signed Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse – both better players than Gallagher in their specialisms.
West Ham also have Tomas Soucek while Moyes is trying to find a way to get Lucas Paqueta back into the middle of the park having moved him out to the left for much of this season.
The Hammers have much more pressing positions to bolster in January. But even if they were interested in Gallagher, it would be a non-starter at £40m.
West Ham must raise funds and ship players out to create space and satisfy FFP wages-to-turnover rules.
Selling a host of fringe players to then sign another central midfielder simply isn’t going to happen.
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