West Ham boss David Moyes denies striking £10m deal with Newcastle over transfer as mounting speculation suggests deal is on table.
Relegation-threatened Newcastle have reportedly offered £10m to West Ham in a January transfer window swoop for defender Issa Diop.
That’s according to French outlet L’Equipe, which has been widely reported elsewhere since.
Newcastle and West Ham both need to bolster their defensive options for very different reasons.
The Hammers are once again pushing for Champions League qualification and are in the last 16 of the Europa League. But they have lost Angelo Ogbonna for the season and first choice West Ham partner Kurt Zouma until at least February.
Newcastle have conceded the most goals in the Premier League and Eddie Howe needs to address that if the Magpies have any chance of staying up.
According to L’Equipe Howe sees West Ham’s Diop as the man to do that.
Diop divides opinion among some West Ham fans and many feel the club should take what they can get for the inconsistent 24-year-old.
But when asked directly whether West Ham have received a bid from Newcastle for the defender, Moyes denied a deal has been struck.
West Ham boss David Moyes denies striking £10m deal with Newcastle over transfer
“We’ve had no offers from anyone in what you’d call our first-team squad,” Moyes said in his press conference ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup clash with Leeds (Football London).
“We’ve had enquiries for some of our young players.
“We’ve had nothing for what you’d class as our first team.”
That may not necessarily mean a bid from Newcastle for Diop is not on the way, though.
After all L’Equipe did say the Magpies were “preparing” to make their move for the ex France Under 21 international.
West Ham would not entertain letting Diop leave until Moyes had another centre-back in the door.
Should the Scot manage that – and with Zouma on his way back – then the Hammers may decide to cash in if the offer is good enough.
That money could then be used towards signing another centre-back given Moyes has keen interest in a host of players including Liverpool’s Nat Phillips and Burnley’s James Tarkowski to name but two.