West Ham have shifted focus to a new star who is keen on joining them over Everton, after Newcastle launched a late hijack to wreck their chances of signing Graham Potter’s prime target.
The Hammers have been forced to act fast in the transfer market and it is bad news for the Toffees with an alternative signing now becoming a priority as Newcastle’s sudden swoop.
Magpies boss Eddie Howe has piled pressure on Graham Potter and David Sullivan to rescue West Ham’s summer business.
David Moyes looks set to miss out as a result of the major twist – although it is far from a disaster for Everton.
West Ham went seven long weeks at the start of the extended summer window without making any signings.
Potter had promised an “exciting and interesting” window, but so far the Hammers have failed to deliver.
Moyes has made it clear he wants nine players to overhaul his Everton team.
And Newcastle have struggled to make signings, with Howe starting to show his frustration in public – telling reporters this weekend ‘the end of the window is hurtling towards us’.
West Ham and Newcastle share window frustration
West Ham want to sign at least two new midfielders, a centre-back, a new forward who can also play wide, and a goalkeeper.
Moyes beat former club West Ham to striker Thierno Barry and West Ham have caused controversy with a move for ageing and injury-prone Callum Wilson after his Newcastle exit.
The Geordies have signed Anthony Elanga but have made little progress on other top targets – and now face the prospect of losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool.
It is the goalkeeper position that has seen West Ham, Newcastle and Everton suddenly become embroiled in a transfer triangle, though.
The Hammers are desperate to sign a new number one after releasing Lukasz Fabianski.
The future of Alphonse Areola – once a Howe target at Newcastle – has been in question and his performances since Potter’s arrival have been shocking.
That continued overnight when Areola made two horrendous errors for both goals in West Ham’s 2-1 pre-season defeat to Man United in New York.
Areola’s woeful mistakes heighten the need for a new goalkeeper in east London.
It was reported this week that Leicester are braced for West Ham to sign their Danish star Mads Hermansen.
Hammers News revealed last month that Danish goalkeeper Hermansen is West Ham’s prime goalkeeper target.
West Ham turn to target who prefers them over Everton after Newcastle hijack Hermansen
The report highlighted that the Hammers were about to appoint Casper Ankergren as their new lead goalkeeper coach – as they duly did – and that he was pushing for a reunion with his former Brondby protégé Hermansen.
But now West Ham have turned to a Plan B target who prefers them over Everton after Newcastle hijacked their prime target.
After delaying for weeks, West Ham’s hopes of signing Hermansen look in tatters.
According to Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Newcastle have launched a move for the 25-year-old after missing out on James Trafford to Man City.
Howe has a starting spot and Champions League football to offer Hermansen.
Hammers want Cooper and he ‘fancies’ move after Everton snub
Nixon reports on his Patreon that West Ham would still want Hermansen if Leicester drop their price to £20m.
But the Hammers appear to have immediately admitted defeat to Newcastle as they turn attentions elsewhere.
That is bad news for Everton because the man Potter now wants is Sheffield United’s Michael Cooper, Nixon claims.
Moyes made a move for Cooper recently but was knocked back in his attempts to bring the ex Plymouth star to Everton.
Cooper was not keen on joining the Toffees and playing back-up to Jordan Pickford – who has signed a new deal.
But Nixon says the Exeter-born 25-year-old does ‘fancy’ a move to West Ham, where he would be the number one.
Potter and head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay are going to make ‘final checks’ on Cooper, who will cost them £15m – nearly four times the amount Sheffield United paid to sign the shot stopper from Plymouth just last year.
Nixon claims Parma’s Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki remains a target for West Ham – but looks unlikely as he is valued at £30m by the Italians.
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