West Ham may not have to pay a single penny for jet-heeled Southampton star Kyle Walker-Peters next month.
After loaning them Flynn Downes and signing James Ward-Prowse, it seems West Ham’s business with Southampton is far from done.
This week it was claimed by Claret and Hugh – which has contacts inside the West Ham boardroom – that flop striker Danny Ings could return to St Mary’s in the January transfer window.
Then yesterday it was reported that the Saints want to sign contract rebel Ben Johnson from West Ham.
West Ham may not have to pay a penny for jet-heeled star
Johnson, out of contract in the summer, is wanted by Southampton as they push for promotion from the Championship.
Johnson has dropped down the pecking order under David Moyes and many feel he is not good enough to be a Premier League player.
In the other direction it has been reported the Hammers want to make a very clever signing from the Saints in the shape of Kyle Walker-Peters.
The Hammers desperately need to sign new full-backs, an area in which they have zero depth on both sides beyond starters Emerson and Vladimir Coufal.
Swap deal could work out perfectly
Well West Ham may not have to pay single penny for jet-heeled Southampton star Walker-Peters.
Walker-Peters, 26, was expected to be sold when Southampton were relegated.
But he remained on the south coast, where his contract is up at the end of the season.
That limits how much Southampton could command for him if West Ham do come knocking next month anyway.
Johnson and/or Ings out, KWP in?
But the reported interest in Ings and Johnson could work out perfectly for all concerned.
West Ham could use one of those players – or both if need be – in a swap deal with Saints for Walker-Peters – who can play at right-back and left-back.
In order to make signings when the window opens in just over two weeks, West Ham must offload players to create space in the squad and raise funds – as confirmed to Hammers News by the top source inside West Ham.
So sending Ings and/or Johnson to Southampton clears that space and negates the need to lay out any money.
A win, win and absolute no-brainer.
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