West Ham are looking to sign a new forward in January, four years after the deal which saw Jesse Lingard arrive from Manchester United.
Now there are hopes West Ham might be able to pull off something similar with Man United’s Marcus Rashford.
With Michail Antonio out for a year and his career in the balance, West Ham have no choice but to sign a new forward next month.
Like so many others before him, things have not worked out for Danny Ings in east London.
He is out of contract at the end of the season too.
The jury is still very much out on ageing striker Niclas Fullkrug, who has been out injured for three months and is yet to start a Premier League game for the Hammers.
There are also claims Fullkrug is unsettled in England and wants to leave.
It’s a major issue for West Ham as decent strikers don’t grow on trees.
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All the proof needed on that score is provided by the fact the Hammers have signed 53 of them in the last 14 years.
One of West Ham’s best ever attacking signings in a January window was Jesse Lingard from Manchester United.
Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford of Manchester United interact as they inspect the pitch prior to the Premier League match between Manchester City...
Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
West Ham’s ‘new Lingard’ deal with Man United mooted
Lingard lit up the London Stadium during an unforgettable six-month loan from the Red Devils back in January 2021.
He scored nine goals and laid on four assists to help the Hammers finish sixth in the table and secure Europa League football.
Agonisingly, West Ham ended just one win off a Champions League spot.
The Hammers are sorely in need of similar inspiration this season as they go into the market for a new forward in a couple of weeks.
Supporters felt the club needed to bring in a young, pacy, dynamic attacker in the summer and were excited by a move for Jhon Duran.
Instead West Ham signed 31-year-old Fullkrug, who lacks pace and has a lengthy history of serious injuries.
With a number of forwards being linked, there was an interesting development at Man United ahead of the weekend.
Rashford available after being transfer listed and dropped
The Red Devils transfer listed the star for a shock price of just £40m.
Hammers News suggested West Ham would be mad not to throw their hat in the ring for Rashford in January.
Especially as the Irons were one of a clutch of clubs reportedly interested in signing Rashford two years ago.
The likes of 90 Min reported on the interest at the time when Rashford was considering his future at Man United as he failed to hold down a regular spot in the starting line-up.
Man United reportedly want to ship Rashford out in January and would consider a loan with option arrangement.
Manchester United's Marcus Rashford during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Old Trafford on Decemb...
Photo by Stephen White – CameraSport via Getty Images
West Ham respond as hopes rise over Rashford
Hopes rose over a ‘new Lingard’ deal with Man United for Rashford overnight and West Ham have responded.
Hours before kick-off in the Manchester derby it emerged Rashford had been dropped from the squad altogether by former Hammers target Ruben Amorim.
The news made big headlines and is seen as proof – alongside the fact he’s effectively been transfer listed – that Rashford’s time is up at Old Trafford.
Both David Beckham and Gary Neville have applauded Amorim’s tough Rashford stance.
While the forward has clearly had his issues, we suggested that a move to West Ham might reignite his career – just like it did for his good friend Lingard.
The former Red Devil admitted the move to West Ham helped him rediscover his love for the game.
Rashford’s situation was put to a spokesman for West Ham’s owners with regards the possibility of a deal.
Encouragingly, the key senior London Stadium contact likes the idea.
Hammers like idea of Rashford loan but highlight problem
But one major issue was highlighted.
“Rashford would be a great loan,” the West Ham spokesman told Hammers News.
“But he will be on huge wages I imagine.”
Indeed he is. Over £300k per week according to reports.
That will be Man United’s big problem in offloading Rashford.
So a loan with option – where the club taking the forward pick up a percentage rather than all of his wages – seems the only viable solution.
Whether the Hammers throw their hat in the ring remains to be seen.
But it could just work if a compromise can be reached with Manchester United over how much of Rashford’s wages West Ham would pick up.
Lucas Paqueta is currently West Ham’s highest earner on £150k per week.
If the club paid that much of Rashford’s wages it would amount to half – a significant saving for Man United.
A loan fee would obviously be required too. So it wouldn’t be a cheap deal for the Hammers.
Like with Lingard, though, it could be worth every penny.
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