West Ham have made a dramatic 11th-hour attempt to hijack a deal for the player dubbed the ‘Swiss Casemiro’ according to new reports.
Hammers fans have not been holding back in their criticism of the club’s owners over their summer transfer window stance.
West Ham have made it clear they have no money for signings despite the dire need for drastic improvements.
Sales are needed to raise transfer cash for Graham Potter with Mohammed Kudus, Nayef Aguerd and Emerson Palmieri the most likely to be among the first offloaded.
West Ham make 11th-hour move to stop star joining giants
But no deals are imminent, meaning West Ham are stuck in the mud on making signings of their own.
Potter and head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay have been doing their job, lining up a host of young, exciting targets for the latest Hammers rebuild.
Midfield is the number one priority for the overhaul.
All of West Ham’s midfielders are up for sale if the right offers are made.
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That includes Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta – if he beats spot-fixing charges.
Although Potter – unlike many West Ham supporters – is a big fan of James Ward-Prowse so he is likely to remain.
Genoa’s Morten Frendup, Strasbourg’s Habib Diarra, Man City’s James McAtee, Liverpool’s Tyler Morton, Milan’s Yunus Musah and Club Brugge duo Raphael Onyedika and Ardon Jashari are just some of the midfield targets said to be on West Ham’s list.
Milan leapfrogged Hammers for Jashari
The Hammers suffered a bitter blow when it emerged AC Milan were set to take one of those options off the table for Potter.
Milan have made an official bid for West Ham target Jashari amounting to £27m.
But with a move to the European giants reportedly close, the Hammers have made a late plea to Jashari in a bid to get him to join them.
According to Mirror journalist Ryan Taylor, West Ham have reached out to Jashari at the 11th hour to stop him signing for Milan.
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‘Swiss Casemiro’ Jashari responds to late West Ham offer
Presumably the Hammers were pleading with the all-action star to wait until they get the money together to make their own move.
Manchester United have also made a late move for the player dubbed the ‘Swiss Casemiro’ in a rather ironic bid to replace the real one.
Unfortunately, Jashari’s response sums up West Ham’s window so far.
According to Taylor, Jashari has ‘politely declined’ the Hammers’ late offer to sway him away from Milan and over to London instead.
The report claims the Swiss international’s representatives made it clear to suitors that Jashari favours a move to a club that can offer Champions League football.
As well as being a quality all-round midfielder, many Hammers fans felt Jashari was exactly the kind of character they needed too.
Potter has stated on several occasions he wants players with the personality to play for West Ham and live with the expectation of the fanbase.
Jashari is a stocky, powerful, quick and tenacious ball-winner.
And Hammers fans have lapped up footage of him taking his club’s black and blue flag from the fans and planting it in the centre circle after a win in the Bruge derby back in March, sparking a fracas.
While Jashari’s snub is a blow, Milan’s move does – as reported previously – open the door for West Ham to sign Musah from the Serie A side.
It also means they have ended interest in another West Ham target, Onyedika.