West Ham have wasted no time after missing out on Soungoutou Magassa, with the club now turning to what is their 14th midfield target in the last 48 hours.
The Hammers’ frantic search for midfield reinforcements has gone into overdrive.
Woeful West Ham are setting new records for all the wrong reasons at the start of the season.
Graham Potter has set a new club record with the fewest home points by a West Ham manager after 10 games.
His record is worse than that of the hapless Avram Grant, the last man to take the Hammers down.
Many believe that will be West Ham’s fate this season.
West Ham move on to 14th midfield target in 48 hours
The likes of Jamie Carragher and Paul Merson called it before the opening day defeat at Sunderland.
Plenty of others have jumped on the bandwagon after witnessing that shocking 3-0 loss followed up by a 5-1 hammering at home to Chelsea.
The world and its wife know Potter’s biggest problem.
West Ham’s midfield has been in desperate need of a complete overhaul for the best part of two years.
Yet in their infinite wisdom, the Irons have left it until the last week of a three-month summer transfer window to do something about it.
With no Europe and media opinion that the Hammers will be relegated, West Ham were a hard sell before the season started.
Imagine how difficult it is to persuade stars to join now given the start Potter’s side have made.
West Ham’s recruitment has reverted back to the scattergun approach in light of their struggles to do business this summer.
Nothing highlights that more than the fact the likes of The Guardian published a leaked list of West Ham’s 12 midfield targets this week.
Hammers switch to new target after Magassa blow
A familiar name then re-emerged on the list in the shape of alleged Kyle Macaulay prime target Raphael Onyedika to make it 13.
Now West Ham have quickly moved on to a 14th midfield target in 48 hours after a huge Soungoutou Magassa blow.
With Edson Alvarez loaned out to Fenerbahce for the season – with an option for the Turkish club to make it permanent – the Hammers launched a move for young Monaco midfielder Magassa.
The likes of Fabrizio Romano claimed on Friday that West Ham were in advanced negotiations to sign Magassa.
Romano claimed a deal was edging closer for £15m plus £2.5m in add-ons.
Graeme Bailey also claimed the Hammers were ‘closing in’ on signing Magassa.
There was an all too familiar twist overnight as Nottingham Forest swooped to make their own move for Magassa.
That just rubbed salt into a gaping wound because Forest have just signed two other West Ham midfield targets in the shape of James McAtee and Douglas Luiz.
Atalanta have also entered the running with reports in France that the Magassa and Monaco have snubbed West Ham’s offer.
The timing suggests Magassa may have been put off by West Ham’s dismal start to the season.
West Ham bid readied for Torino star Ilic
The Hammers have swiftly switched to an alternative, though, and it’s yet another new name on the midfield target list – number 14 to be precise.
Hammers News understands the £17.5m package they offered to Monaco for Magassa has now been sent to Torino for 24-year-old Serbian midfield star Ivan Ilic.
All-round midfielder Ilic has 21 caps for Serbia and is known for his set pieces, quality passing and pressing the opposition to win the ball back for his side.
How West Ham could do with those qualities as soon as possible.
A leading agent source has told Hammers News that West Ham are making their interest in Ilic official with a £17.5m bid after learning of Magassa’s reluctance to move to the London Stadium.
There is no indication Torino will accept the bid as yet. But Ilic fits the profile of player Potter and Macaulay have been looking at.
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