Sunderland are looking to sign the Chelsea goalkeeper.placeholder image
Sunderland are looking to sign the Chelsea goalkeeper. | Getty Images
Sunderland have muscled into pole position to sign an out of favour Chelsea star.
West Ham are in the market for a new goalkeeper this summer but risk being beaten to a major transfer target by newly promoted Sunderland, in what would be an embarrassment when it comes to the club looking to mean business next season.
The Hammers reportedly need to sanction sales before any marquee signings, which may explain a slow start to the window, but the weeks are fast flying by. The Premier League season now starts next month and Graham Potter has not been handed an improved squad to work with.
West Ham finished 14th in the table last season and will be desperate to be back in the top 10. So far this summer, Evan Ferguson and Carlos Soler have returned to Brighton and PSG following their loan spells with Aaron Cresswell, Danny Ings and Vladimir Coufal leaving the club as free agents. Mohammed Kudus is also tipped to be making a transfer exit.
Sunderland look to beat West Ham to Chelsea transfer
Veteran goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski has also left upon the expiry of his contract, leaving West Ham in need of adding a goalkeeper to their ranks. Alphonse Areola held the number one spot under Potter but there’s a feeling that there may be a stronger option out there.
That could well be Chelsea shot-stopper Djordje Petrovic, who is ready to leave Stamford Bridge having fallen behind Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen in the pecking order. Hammers News just this week reported that the club holds ‘serious interest’ in Petrovic.
The Serbian, who was labelled as a ‘great goalkeeper’ by Liam Rosenior while on loan at Strasbourg, looks a certain upgrade on Areola but West Ham risk being beaten to the transfer by Sunderland. The Black Cats, who achieved promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs, have bid £22 million for the goalkeeper according to The Express.
West Ham must show transfer intent
The outlet adds that Chelsea are ‘on the brink’ of agreeing that deal with Sunderland, which would come as a blow to West Ham. While the London outfit may be walking a tightrope financially, selling big stars such as Kudus and being beaten to transfers by teams expected to be in a relegation scrap next year is not a good look.
Worryingly, it’s not a new feeling either. Former Lille striker Jonathan David’s agents were at the London Stadium late last season as he was linked to the club, but he’s now seemingly Juventus bound. David’s teammate Angel Gomes is also available as a free agent, but said to have rejected the chance to join West Ham despite a personal call from Potter.
West Ham must make a statement of intent soon and inevitably being beaten to the signing of Petrovic by Sunderland is certainly not the right message.
In other news, 'Here We Go': Arsenal, West Ham and Tottenham to lose striker transfer race.
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