West Ham have made a bid for a top Man United target and are closing in on signing a Red Devils star to boot.
West Ham and Manchester United will be sick of the sight of one another in this transfer window.
The Hammers and Red Devils have been embroiled in a cloak and dagger battle over two stars.
West Ham have been linked with Man United midfielder Scott McTominay this summer.
And the Irons have also been trying to sign Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo – after Man United’s bid was blocked by UEFA due to INEOS’ involvement in the two clubs.
West Ham actually have a deal agreed with Nice for Todibo but he wants to join Juve.
Hammers and Man United tussle over transfers
Had Todibo signed for West Ham, the move would have been dogged by controversy and assumptions that the French defender was merely being parked at the London Stadium ahead of an eventual sale to Manchester United.
West Ham have been involved in protracted negotiations over the signing of Man United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Those talks hit a brick wall, though, and West Ham very deliberately switched focus to Manchester United target Noussair Mazraoui instead.
That deal with Bayern Munich looked very much on. But, as called by Hammers News, it seems the plan all along was a genius move from technical director Tim Steidten to force Man United to lower their Wan-Bissaka fee.
Steidten used the same tactic to great effect when signing Mohammed Kudus from Ajax last year.
Now West Ham have made a bid for another top Man United target and are closing on a Red Devils star.
West Ham bid for Man United target and close on Red Devils star
According to Foot Mercato, Mazraoui is now on the verge of signing for Man United.
All that remains is for Wan-Bissaka to agree personal terms with West Ham after a deal was struck between the east Londoners and Manchester United.
“The 26-year-old English full-back is expected to head to West Ham, who have therefore abandoned the Mazraoui track to recover the Englishman,” the report states.
“The Hammers have aligned themselves with Manchester United’s demands and an agreement has been reached.
“All that is missing now is an agreement with the player, but West Ham’s salary offer should convince him to leave United and conclude this deal.”
That is great news for West Ham with the right-hand side looking particularly weak in the 3-1 pre-season defeat to Wolves earlier today.
The Hammers are not done there, though.
Because Steidten has launched a bid for a top Man United target who he wanted to bring to the London Stadium last summer.
Steidten plays Man United like a flute as he tries again for Fofana
West Ham wanted to sign box-to-box Monaco and France midfielder Youssouf Fofana when Steidten first arrived last July.
But ex Hammers boss David Moyes was not interested in Fofana.
Back in April Calciomercato claimed West Ham were hoping to sign Fofana this summer ahead of Manchester United and AC Milan.
Now, according to the likes of L’Equipe, West Ham have submitted a £29.5million offer to sign the 25-year-old who has been linked with Man United for months.
It is claimed the Hammers have met Monaco’s asking price while AC Milan have only offered half that amount.
There is a claim that Fofana’s preference is to join Milan.
But the Hammers have used their savvy again by moving for Fofana while Man United are distracted trying to offload Wan-Bissaka to them in order to get the Mazraoui deal over the line.
After over three weeks without any new arrivals, West Ham could now be in line to land two top players.
One from Man United and the other ahead of the Red Devils having played the Old Trafford side like a flute over Mazraoui.
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