David Sullivan is under pressure after Manchester City opened talks over a bargain £17m deal for a player West Ham have been tracking for months.
If West Ham let the player slip through their fingers after Manchester City’s decision, it will not go down well with agitated supporters.
It is often difficult to know who and what to believe when it comes to the transfer rumour mill.
But the old saying ‘no smoke without fire’ can often be a good guide if a certain transfer link persists over an extended period of time.
Man City and the Hammers operate on completely different planets when it comes to transfers.
Man City and West Ham linked with one another’s players
The stark contrast in the business done by Pep Guardiola’s side and West Ham since Graham Potter’s arrival in January highlights that fact.
While money is no object for Manchester City, West Ham’s owners have insisted sales must be made to fund signings in order to safeguard against a future PSR breach.
Time will tell whether Man City might end up giving the Hammers a helping hand in that regard.
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Because it was recently claimed Guardiola may be waiting for West Ham star Lucas Paqueta to be cleared of spot-fixing before reigniting a move for the 27-year-old Brazil international.
Graham Potter embraces Pep Guardiola after a game between Brighton and Manchester City
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
That’s not the only deal that has been on the cards between the Irons and Cityzens, though.
West Ham have been linked with John Stones and James McAtee since Potter arrived in east London.
Centre-back Stones recently stated he wants to stay at Man City next season.
But McAtee has emerged as one player who has been consistently and persistently linked with West Ham since January.
What’s Sullivan waiting for as Man City hold talks over £17m deal
Potter wants to rebuild the Hammers around young, dynamic talent.
A journalist named McAtee as one of Potter’s three key midfield targets.
Guardiola has admitted reported West Ham target McAtee needs to leave Man City this summer.
The 22-year-old has just captained England Under 21s to Euro Championship glory.
It was claimed this week that one of the reasons for West Ham’s lack of transfer activity so far is because a number of their top targets have been playing in that tournament.
England v Germany - UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2025 Final
Photo by Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Hammers cannot let bargain fee McAtee get away
McAtee, Harvey Elliott and Omari Hutchinson are reportedly among them.
With the tournament over, so too are West Ham’s excuses.
So what is David Sullivan waiting for as Man City hold talks with a club over a bargain £17m deal.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, the groundwork has already been done between Fiorentina and Man City over a deal for McAtee.
Astonishingly, the side West Ham vanquished in the Europa Conference League final two years ago believe they can ‘get a deal completed for under €20m (£17m)’.
If McAtee is genuinely one of West Ham’s top targets and the club’s owners sit and watch him sign for Fiorentina for £17m – pressure will ramp up on Sullivan and the board.
Hammers fans are already disgruntled at the club’s claims about a lack of money for signings.
Especially after it emerged this week that West Ham’s owners are permitted to inject £90m for transfers this summer – if they want to.
Whether the money to sign McAtee comes from such an injection or offsetting against one of several sales being planned, the Hammers cannot afford to let this McAtee opportunity pass them by.