Sunderland have wasted no time putting their Jobe Bellingham windfall to use and it spells bad news for West Ham and Leeds.
The Black Cats have reportedly blown West Ham and Leeds out of the water in a bid to land a top summer transfer target – but there is still hope until a deal is officially sealed.
Paul Merson predicts Leeds and Sunderland will be licking their lips at the Hammers next season.
The pundit believes the newly-promoted duo will fancy their chances of staying up ahead of Graham Potter’s West Ham.
The way things have been going for the Hammers in the summer window thus far, he may well be right.
West Ham face new challenge from Sunderland and Leeds
West Ham’s owners have been pleading PSR poverty and have wasted the extra month given to clubs to sign players with no new arrivals anywhere close.
Meanwhile Leeds United’s owners are reportedly highly ambitious and have given Daniel Farke over £100m to spend.
Sunderland also have money having sold Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund for around £27.8m.
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Ironically, that is not far off what West Ham paid Dortmund for striker Niclas Fullkrug last summer.
Graham Potter and Daniel Farke on the sideline when they met as Brighton and Norwich managers respectively.
Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images
That cash has found its way to the Stadium of Light and could now cost West Ham dear in the transfer market for a player said to be a top target for them and Leeds.
Signing midfielders is a top priority for West Ham, Sunderland and Leeds.
The Irons have been linked with a host of Sunderland players including Dan Neil, Chris Rigg and Eliezer Mayenda.
West Ham were also linked with Bellingham for a spell too.
Sunderland use Bellingham cash to blow West Ham and Leeds out of the water for star
Meanwhile Leeds have been linked with a move for Hammers favourite Tomas Soucek – who faces an uncertain future under Potter at the London Stadium.
But there has been one target high on the list of both West Ham and Leeds – Habib Diarra.
Senegal international Diarra is an attacking midfielder who can also play out wide.
He has been shining for Strasbourg in Ligue 1 prompting interest from West Ham’s head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay and Farke.
But West Ham have been exploring a move for Diarra since Macaulay arrived from Chelsea in January.
Habib Diarra protests to the official after starring in Senegal's win over England.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
It is unsurprising as Macaulay will have been well aware of the 21-year-old’s talents given Chelsea’s ties with sister club Strasbourg.
Previously it looked like Diarra would actually sign for Chelsea, who come under the same BlueCo ownership umbrella as Strasbourg.
But the Hammers have made him a top target as they look to sell Mohammed Kudus and others – with Chelsea one club they’ve held talks with.
Leeds leapfrogged West Ham in the race for Diarra earlier this month, as talk accelerated of a move to Elland Road after an initial bid of £18m was rejected.
Black Cats close on Diarra with whopping £35m bid
Now, out of the blue, Sunderland have used the Bellingham cash to blow West Ham and Leeds out of the water for their prime target.
And Diarra could even fly from Africa to Wearside for a medical.
That’s according to journalist Alan Nixon, who says Sunderland have taken a late lead in the race for the exciting young star with a whopping £35m bid.
Reporting the exclusive on his Patreon, Nixon says the bid has taken everyone by surprise and believes Sunderland could soon get the chance to speak to Diarra to agree personal terms and arrange a medical.
While Leeds have already made two impressive signings this window, Sunderland winning the race for Diarra represents another bitter blow for West Ham’s transfer plans.
To be in with a chance of signing Diarra now, the Hammers – or Leeds – would have to match that £35m bid.
And that seems highly unlikely in east London right now.